Insidious: Chronicle of the Fallen
by Le Confidant
Summary: "Humans are such simple people after all…" Al muttered as the corners of his mouth automatically curled upwards. xxTHIS STORY IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEARTxx Serious mindfuckery, graphic violence, explicit sexual themes and some non-con go on in this suspense story.
1. Chapter 1

**AUTHOR'S NOTE UPDATE: (10-31-12)** This is my second major multi-chapter fan fic and I chose it to be a dark fic. I decided to do it as a crime drama because that type of genre fascinates me like no other. The core theme of this story is horror as in psychological horror with thriller as its underlying theme. What this means for you dear reader is that you will be reading a really dark story that will shake the boundaries of comfort. **THIS STORY IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART.** So please click the back button if you are a person that gets easily scarred by what's known as mindfuckery because there's tons of it in this story. Because of its convoluted content this story is better suited for people 21 years old and up. However it has been edited to fit the M rating of fanfictiondotnet. **The original, unedited version resides over at archiveofourown but beware that those unedited chapters contain strong adult content.** You can find a link to the hardcore version in my profile.

**DISCLAIMER: The story I tell here using characters from the manga/anime Fullmetal Alchemist is my own invention, and it is not purported or believed to be part of Hiromu Arakawa's story canon. This story is for entertainment only and is not part of the official story line. This story is fictional and does not depict any actual person or event.**

—WARNINGS— this fic contains sexual themes including non-con, mindfuckery, yaoi insinuations (but no actual yaoi scenes), graphic violence and character death(s). —READ AT YOUR OWN RISK—

I will take my time with this story (I won't update as often) because it is a very hard subject for me to write... A hard challenge indeed.

Hope you, dear reader, can appreciate the brilliance behind the madness. ~Le Confidant~

* * *

"Alphonse!", Edward yelled when he finally saw his little brother from within the small crowd that had arrived by train from East City. "It was time that you showed up around these parts little brother!"

"Brother!", Al answered with a wide grin. He shortened the distance between them and gave Ed a huge, tight hug. "I can't believe it has been more than a year since we last saw each other."

"I know but that is all your own damn fault since it seemed like you didn't want to leave Xing at all-", Ed answered while his expression morphed into a mischievous one, "-or is it that you didn't want to leave behind a certain "little person" that lives over those parts?"

Al looked at Ed with utter annoyance and sighed. "Mei is my alkahestry teacher and a good friend Ed. I hope that I can make this clear for you, she is my tea-cher and my fri-end nothing more and nothing less. Got it?"

Ed was snickering while trying to conceal as best as possible the fact that he was dying to roll over the floor laughing. "If you say so Al."

The younger Elric scowled while ignoring the elder's sarcastic remark. He grabbed his only piece of luggage and struck Ed hard in the back when he walked past him, successfully knocking out the air in his lungs with the blow.

"Let's go Ed. I don't want Granny nor your dear wife to be waiting for us any longer."

Ed was still gasping for air. "Sleep with one eye open Al! Sleep with one eye open!", he threatened Al the same way he used to when they were kids.

Alphonse left him with the words on his mouth as he had already walked towards Ed's car. Edward had no other choice but to swallow the rest of his words, head to the car, start the car and drive the car -along with his brother- to the old Rockbell home.

* * *

"Granny Pinako!", Al cried out when he set eyes upon his dear foster grandmother who was receiving him with open arms and a huge smile.

"How have you been boy?", Pinako answered while she was looking around for another person.

"Al, where's the little princess?"

Alphonse gave her an incredulous look since it seemed like everybody thought that him and Mei were more than friends.

«Ugh! Such idiots.»

"Granny we are only friends", Al answered in the nicest way possible.

"Is that so?", Pinako answered back. "Your brother here has been telling a different story to everyone in town."

Al glowered at his older brother. "Edward!"

"Please forgive the poor idiot Al", said a feminine voice that was fast approaching the living room.

"Hi Al!", Winry cried out while she intensely hugged him. "I'm so glad you're here!"

"Winry!", he answered while holding on to the embrace.

«Mm. Lovely!»

"So Al are you here on a visit or are you staying in Amestris for good?, the blonde asked when she separated from the hug.

Al looked at everybody before answering. "There's nothing else for me in Xing. So yes, I plan to stay here in Amestris and open up a small clinic specialized in alkahestry so- I'm here to stay."

* * *

"Oh how I missed your home cooking Granny!, said Al while finishing a second serving of beef stew.

«Ugh! You're going to make me vomit with all the ass kissing you're doing.»

"Al leave some space for dessert", said Winry with a smile.

"I don't know how this brother of mine is not a complete fat ass with the way he stuffs his face", Ed said to Al in a mocking tone.

"Well I don't know how you are not a complete fat ass since all you do is mooch around the house all day long, so I've been told", Al sarcastically countered his brother's inflammatory teasing.

"For your information I work hard, really hard around here", Ed answered Al in a rude way.

"You work hard because you have to do the same job twice as it seems you can't do it correctly on the first try", Pinako interjected just to irate his grandson-in-law a bit more.

"Don't you dare interfere old hag!", Ed shouted.

"Then don't behave like a "little" kid, Ed", she replied, a smirk adorned her thin lips.

Ed started to loose his temper upon hearing the word "little". He still couldn't quite handle his height complex even though he was fast approaching his twenty-first birthday.

"Stop it Ed!", yelled his wife, "You're such a child!"

Edward scowled but stopped his erratic behavior since he didn't know if Winry sported her infamous wrench. He really didn't want a new contusion to adorn his permanently bruised head.

Winry got up, gathered all the empty plates and headed to the kitchen. When she came back from the kitchen she brought with her a delicious apple pie that she had specially made for Al. Edward helped her serve the dessert then all started to eat the mouth-watering dessert.

"Delicious as always Winry!", Al squealed.

"You sure like Winry's apple pie", Ed said as he was surprised by his brother's imitation of a school girl.

"Of course I like Winry's pie Ed", he answered in a nonchalant way.

«-you forgot to tell him how much more you like that sweet pie between her legs.»

Immediately Al choked.

"Are you ok Al?", asked Winry with concern.

"Yes, yes- I choked on a piece of pie that's all", he answered trying to put the embarrassing moment behind.

«Ha, ha, ha!»

Al hawked. "If you all excuse me I have to retire early. There's so much I have to unpack." He got up then headed upstairs and into the guest room.

* * *

«Don't tell me that I've ruined your nice dinner boy.»

Alphonse kept unpacking and folding his belongings in the drawer.

«I only express what you don't dare speak.»

Al had finished the unpacking and folding. With towel in hand he was ready to take a nice shower but he was stopped by Ed who came to the door.

"Al I'm so happy that you're back home", Ed said while landing on Al's bed. He always did that when he had much to talk about with his little brother.

"Me too Brother", Al answered with a warm smile realizing that he was not going to be able to take a shower right away.

Suddenly Winry appeared at the door. "Ed I'm going to take a shower now", she said to her husband with a naughty smile then headed to her bedroom. Ed couldn't contain the ear-to-ear smile that formed in his face. He got up and went after his wife while completely forgetting what he was going to talk to Al about.

"Let's talk tomorrow Al. Good night!", he said to his little brother in a rush.

"Good night Ed!", Al answered while blushing. He finally went to the bathroom and took a cold, very cold shower.

* * *

Al was reading a fiction book when he was interrupted by "noises" coming from the next room.

«Well, well, well! It looks like we have some entertainment tonight and by the looks of it those two are having a blast.»

Alphonse blushed since he could clearly hear his older brother and his sister-in-law going at it. The noises were so crystal clear that he swore the walls of that old house were made out of paper. Suddenly he felt his pajama pants tightening when he thought about what those two were doing. "Dear God", he said between teeth.

«Oh poor little Alphonse- You're not fooling anyone with your blushing virgin act!»

Al took a deep breath while trying to clear his mind. He picked up his reading but the noises on the other side of the wall were getting louder by the minute.

«What are you waiting for? You didn't make that peephole for nothing. Go on, take a look and enjoy the show.»

"Shut up!", yelled Al.

«Wow, it was about time that you talked to me.»

Al grabbed his book and once again tried to continue his reading but he kept thinking about the peephole he had made on the wall. He made the hole in one of those "impulses" he was having lately. The truth was that he was dying to take a look at what they were doing.

«See? I've been telling it to you all this time lover boy. I know what you desire more than anybody. Go on give yourself a treat- remember there's nothing wrong with looking.»

"I already told you to shut up!", he now yelled as he was quite irritated.

A loud moan he heard from Winry was all it took for him to take a look through the peephole.

«Ha, ha, ha! How weak is the flesh!»

* * *

Ed was more than satisfied with the moan he was able to force out from Winry's mouth. He loved to hear how his wife became undone with pleasure in his arms. She brought his face closer to hers so she could kiss him with need. Ed continued touching her everywhere while kissing. Winry took the lead and flipped him around, effectively straddling his body. She looked at him with desire then slid south.

"Ah Winry! Don't stop.", Ed cried out.

[Yes don't stop.]

Winry made Ed's body contort with her ministrations. She stopped after a little while and Ed looked at her like a wild animal while he was panting. He launched at her, flipped her over and pinned her beneath him.

"Take me Ed", she managed to say.

The dance of their bodies was passionate and intense.

"Winry-", Ed moaned into her ear.

[Mm. Winry-]

Winry held on to her husband's shoulders as she felt that they were going to climax soon.

"I can't hold it any longer Winry", Ed said while his panting was becoming shallower.

[Don't stop- just a little more Winry. I need a little bit more time-]

Winry brought Ed closer and kissed him. Shortly after both entered a very intense climax. Winry stayed there panting while gently caressing her husband's hair. They stayed like that for a few minutes before Ed moved beside her. Both held to each other and stayed like that for a while until they fell to sleep.

* * *

Al turned around and slid to the floor. He looked at the hand that was full of semen and closed his eyes.

«You're pathetic! Why didn't you go into their room and joined in the action? It's not as if you didn't know anything about such perversions. Remember all those nights at the imperial palace when you-»

"Don't talk to me", Al said with a tired voice.

«I wonder who you would have fucked? Would it have been the girl of your dreams- or dear Brother? Remember, I know of all your most dark desires.»

Al got up with difficulty as his legs where still shaky. He grabbed his towel and headed to the bathroom. He showered again as he felt unconfortable with what just happened in his room. Since there was no one left awake he tied his towel around his waist and headed to his room. When he reached his room he sat down on the bed and bitterly squeezed his left thigh.

«That mark will not go away.»

"I know but that doesn't erase the fact that it disgusts me to have it", replied Alphonse with indignation.

«Why? Did it remind you that you are not human anymore? Or is it that you can't accept me still?»

Al stayed quiet.

«Like it or not you and I are one.»

"I already told you to shut up Envy!"

* * *

A/N: I wonder if you were expecting that from dear Al or if you like his "guest". Anyway I'm dying to know how what you think about the story. Do you like it? Hate it? Want to burn me to a crisp? R&R!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Bet you didn't expect that at all! Yes this story is quite mature and it's shock full of horror, angst and tragedy. It will be creepy, dark and shocking... just to name a few words that can describe this story. Now I leave you with an explanation of Al's life after the Promised Day. AU of course!

* * *

**WARNINGS/DISCLAIMER FOR THIS STORY ARE POSTED ON CHAPTER 1, I SINCERELY RECOMMEND THAT YOU READ THEM BEFORE READING ANY CHAPTER OF THIS STORY. THE FOLLOWING STORY IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART.**

* * *

THIS CHAPTER HAS NOT BEEN ALTERED. IT IS THE SAME IN BOTH MY ACCOUNTS.

* * *

Alphonse was writing the last entry on his journal when he was attacked by a strong, sharp pain. This time he felt it behind his right eye. His quick reflexes made him drop the pen he was holding in order to shield his eye from the pain. A bitter smile encompassed Al's face as he already knew that it was the beginning of one of those "changes" he was having as of late, changes that were increasing in frequency with each day that passed by. Al sealed his journal with alchemy and put it back in his drawer. He had to move fast as the second phase was about to begin.

Al already felt the migraine settling in. He was feeling worse than ever so he decided to lay down until the migraine went away. He immediately put an arm across his face and closed his eyes once he laid down. He just stayed put until the migraine faded away.

Al felt both fear and shame about the way he had behaved just only a few hours ago. He had jerked off courtesy of what his brother and sister-in-law we doing in the privacy of their room. Good grief! They are HIS brother and HIS sister-in-law! Alphonse immediately frowned as he felt repugnance invading every single part of his being.

«I just don't get why you are so upset.»

"What happened was your damn fault you bastard."

«Ha, ha, ha! I can't believe that you are taking up the victim role here. YOU wanted that to happen so I just gave you a little push.»

Al knew that it was true what that blasted parasite was saying and that was what horrified him the most.

The first time he felt that something was wrong with his being was three months after Ed rescued him from the Gate of Truth. He woke up in his hospital bed with a sensation of anguish and desperation. He remembered that he had only felt that way when his soul was subdued by the homunculus named Pride. At that time Al didn't want to pay too much attention to what he was experiencing since he thought that he was hallucinating due to the malnourished state of his body.

He felt the nefarious sensation once again after one year of being back in his human body but this time he could swear that he felt something lodged in his mind, still, he ignored what he was feeling concluding that he was not completely recovered and that such sensation was going to disappear with the passage of time.

Luck was not in his favor as shortly after he started to have nightmares about the homunculi that he and his brother faced off a few years back. In his nightmares Al could see how all of his beloved ones were being massacred by those dammed monsters and when it was his turn to die it was Envy that subdued him while he stabbed his forehead mercilessly between a cacophony of sadistic laughs. Al started to really worry about his welfare when he heard that same sadistic laugh during waking hours. After that event he started to take matters into his own hands but kept quiet about it because of shame and pride.

The first step Al took was to find a way to understand his problem. He decided to talk with his brother about starting a new journey of exploration and discovery outside of Amestris. They both decided that he was going to head East and Ed was going to head West. Alphonse was hopeful that with the aid of alkahestry he was going to resolve his problem once and for all.

Over at Xing Mei Chang teached him how to feel the dragon's pulse. He also learned the discipline of meditation which resulted to be an effective tool for scanning every part of his mind, body and soul. Within a short time he was able to precisely locate the invading presence. He recognized that the entity was malign and impure so it was then that he decided to eradicate it as soon as possible with the use of alkahestry.

Alphonse implored Mei to teach him an advanced purification technique, a technique he thought was going to be the most successful in eradicating the impure presence, but Mei completely refused to teach him such technique. She told him he was not prepared to use it since he was not adequately trained to handle it safely. Mei's decision led a desperate Alphonse to sneak out the purification scroll from her room. He memorized all the steps written in the scroll and when he was ready he performed the purification transmutation. The subsequent reaction almost killed him.

It was Mei who found him lying on the floor of his room with his life hanging from a thread. She felt responsible for what had happened and took care of him until he was completely recovered. During one healing session the little princess felt a discordance within Al's chi. She kept quiet about her findings opting to observe her student's behavior.

Al truly started to feel different after his botched purification transmutation. The presence that he felt in his mind started seducing him and it was making him see life under a different scope. It also made him behave differently to the point that he started to play along with the emperor's insinuations and seduction games.

He was utterly scared the day that he heard Envy for the first time as it hapenned during meditation session. He tought that his imagination had played a bad joke on him but he swallowed hard when he heard that hideous voice for a second time. The homunculus greeted him like they were the best of friends. Al didn't acknowledge him because if he did then he would make him real.

Once again Al fell into desperation. He wanted to eradicate the homunculus from his mind so bad that he tried to purify his being once again. He decided to be cautious this time around so he used techniques that he had already mastered but the only thing he achieved with such techniques was to convulse until passing out unconscious. When he came to he saw that Mei was at his side once more. Al sheepishly smiled at her but this time she didn't respond to his gesture. She only kept looking at him with a mixture of fear and pity. When she finally spoke to him it was to inform him that he was no longer her student, that she couldn't help him and that it was for everybody's best interest that he returned to Amestris as soon as possible.

Alphonse couldn't comprehend why Mei was acting in such cold manner towards him. He demanded to know why she took such a drastic decision. Mei pointed to his left thigh and that was the first time that Al saw the ouroboros mark.

Days later he boarded a train that was heading to Amestris.

During those four years after he got his human body back, Al didn't achieve much about bettering his "condition". However he did make some interesting discoveries about his unwelcomed guest.

Al had determined that this Envy was not the same homunculus that he had faced in the past. During some testing, he had utterly failed to use the shape-shifting skill that Envy blatanly used around to manipulate people into doing his bidding. He also found that he didn't possess the regeneration skill of the homunculi but for some reason he still possess his alchemical skills. He could even perform alchemy without a circle just the way he has done it in the past.

Al also concluded that his case was not like Ling's who had willingly let Greed take possession and control of his body. His hypothesis was that this Envy had somehow incorporated with his being during the transition of dimensions between where Truth dwells and Amestris.

Al was sure of one thing and it was that this homunculus behaved like a nasty parasite who insidiously was taking over his being. It was clear to him that it was easy for the homunculus to twist and corrode his thoughts or to play with his emotions.

Al was a fool to think that he was going to be able to take care of the homunculus on his own. What he did achieve was to open a Pandora's Box which has pin him against a corner.

He took a while to return to Amestris, specially to Resembool, as he couldn't find a way to explain to his brother what was happening to him. He didn't want Ed to take on his burden once again but he had already reached his limit of undertsanding which didn't leave him any other choice but to ask for his help. Maybe Ed was going to be able to reach for a solution that he didn't notice before.

«Dear Brother will not understand.»

Al got up from his bed and headed to the bathroom so he could wash his face with cold water.

«Now he has a new family and a wife that is madly in love with him. Do you really think that he is going to put all that aside in order to take care of you?»

"Brother will never abandon me."

«So you say but you know very well that he is a selfish creature. He's going to end up kicking you to the curb the same way as your 'dear princess' did to you.»

Alphonse returned to his room and laid down again. The sun was already rising and everybody was going to wake up soon.

«You are a monster Alphonse Elric. Just accept it so we can live our lives in harmony.»

"We'll see you damn parasite. There's always a solution to everything."

«We will always be together. 'Till death do us part dear Al.»

* * *

A/N: This is probably going to be the most tame chapter of all. I hope that this chapter helps to better understand Al's position in all of this. It was a very Al-centric one but it had to be done.

Thanks to all of you who took time to read my story! Lots of love to everyone who took from their time to write a review. Also thank you all for following the madness.

(n_n)


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hm. Yes I know that the previous chapter was rather boring but I have to cement this story so it makes sense. I said that chapter 2 was going to be the tamest chapter of all but I was wrong. This chapter is also tame. Chapter 3 is also a chapter that sets the content for this story. There's some interaction between the brothers and such. I hope you do enjoy this chapter. The gore will come soon.

* * *

**WARNINGS/DISCLAIMER FOR THIS STORY ARE POSTED ON CHAPTER 1, I SINCERELY RECOMMEND THAT YOU READ THEM BEFORE READING ANY CHAPTER OF THIS STORY. THE FOLLOWING STORY IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART.**

* * *

THIS CHAPTER HAS NOT BEEN ALTERED. IT IS THE SAME IN BOTH MY ACCOUNTS.

* * *

It had been almost three months since Al's arrival at the Rockbell's. During those three months Alphonse felt it was a true blessing that he was able to restrain the homunculus he had inside his mind. His level of control was so efficient that he could hardly hear anymore the homunculus taunting or his obscene insinuations. It was during those moments of blissful peace that Al managed to correct the havoc that Envy had caused him since his arrival in Resembool. The first thing he did was to plug the pepping hole with alchemy then he made the wall thicker so he didn't have to hear things he really shouldn't be listening in the first place.

Al was sitting under the nice shade of a tree while he was practicing his mediation exercises. He had discovered that the meditation sessions were more effective on his being since the day that he put Envy under his control. He even felt more confident about his alkahestry skills. Al was also happy because he also managed to quell the migraines he had suffered since his botched attempt of purifying himself using the advanced purification technique.

"I really don't understand how you can manage to stay so still Al. If it was me I would have ended up completely bald because of my nerves."

His concentration was completely ruined when he heard his older brother's smart-assed comment. "It's called meditation Ed, an essential discipline used to correctly perform alkahestry transmutations besides helping the practitioner to live a more balanced lifestyle that's in harmony with the dragon's pulse."

Al opened his eyes and looked directly into his brother's before continuing his chastising, "Your lack of discipline is the reason why you have always gotten into trouble with everyone and everything Brother."

"Yeah, yeah, blah, blah", answered the elder while rolling his eyes, "I didn't come here to be chastised Al. I came to ask you if you want to go downtown with me since I have to run an 'errand' over there."

"Ok Brother but I hope you're not planning to take long since I had to be back on time to make dinner as I am the one in charge to feed everyone in this house."

"It'll be quick. I promise", Ed said while his train of thought shifted to think about the good prospect of a hearty, home-cooked meal.

"So, what are you fixing for dinner little brother?"

Al had this incredulous look on his face due to Ed's sudden change of topic. He really never got how his older brother could lead a life that was so carefree and simple.

"What?", Ed said in what sounded like a pathetic whine when he noticed Al's irritation.

"Nothing Ed. I think it's a good idea that I go with you that way I can find a good wine that compliments the ham and cheese quiche I'm going to prepare this evening."

Ed couldn't contain his excitement. "It is one of mom's recipes am I right?"

"Yes. Finally I could piece it up together", he said with some degree of melancholy as he remembered his mom's beautiful smile. "I hope I can make my quiche as good as hers."

"No doubt about it Al", Ed said to his little brother with a kind smile.

Edward lend a hand to his brother to help him get up.

"Let's go. We're already late."

Ed and Al exited the one and only supermarket that the town of Resembool had. They got out of the store with other items besides the white wine that Al wanted for tonight's dinner. Edward insisted on buying a lemon tart. Al was a good cook but he wasn't as skilled as Winry or Granny in the fine art of baked goods.

"You really can't have dinner without stuffing your face with sweets, huh Ed?", Al complained. He was a bit mad at his older brother for making him carry all the shopping bags while he only carried a large manila envelope in his hands.

Al stared at the envelope. The color, texture and size were the same as the ones the military uses for reports and other types of paperwork.

"Brother is that what I think it is?", Al asked with extreme curiosity.

Ed squeezed the envelope a bit when Al asked the question. "Yes Al, it is a military report", he ended up admitting to his younger brother.

Alphonse was surprised to hear those words coming out of his brother's mouth. "You signed again?"

Ed looked at him with slight annoyance, not because he was upset with his little brother's questioning, but because anything military always caused him some degree of annoyance.

"More or less Al. I've been working as a consultant for the military."

Al went silent when Ed told him the news as it was the first time he heard any of this.

"Mustang asked of it as a favor", Ed added since Al's silence was becoming rather uncomfortable to withstand.

"Well. I take that you have been working for the military behind Winry's and Granny's back."

"No. They know", Ed said, eyes downcast because of guilt.

"Wow Brother! And here I thought that you spend your days mooching off Granny", Al answered, his tone was as sarcastic as he could manage.

Edward glowered while Al laughed away at his reaction.

They had walked away from Resembool's downtown area and were now nearing the town's train depot. Edward started looking around like he was waiting for somebody. Suddenly a tall figure came out from behind a rusty wagon. The person wore the blue uniform of the Amestrian military and for the looks of it he was a sargent.

"Good afternoon Elric sir!", was the sargent's formal greeting to Ed.

"How many times have I told you not to call me 'sir' Danny!"

"Sorry sir! I mean Edward, I mean Ed", replied the scared sargent as he knew first hand about the ex-alchemist explosive temper.

Ed said something between his teeth and it sounded like a string of curses. He calmed down a bit and then approached the soldier. "How's the family Danny?"

"Very well s- Ed. Maggie is about ready to pop and little Tim is as bratty as always."

Edward burst into a hearty laugh. "That's great Danny!"

Then Ed proceeded to give the sargent a pat on the back that was so hard that he almost left the poor soldier out of breath. "Now more than ever you will have to work hard for them."

"Yes sir!"

Ed sighed out of frustration because he really hated to be referred as 'sir'. "Anyway here's the report that the Bastard is waiting for. Remember that nobody and I mean nobody can take a look inside this envelope."

Sargent Smith deeply swallowed at the threat. He grabbed the envelope from Ed with shaky hands. "Yessir!"

"How many times I have to tell you to call me by my name sargent!"

The poor soldier was frozen in place by Ed's anger.

"Brother! Leave the poor man alone!", yelled Alphonse from behind the supermarket bags.

Ed turned around and saw his little brother's angry face that peeked from behind the bags. "Smith!", Ed directed his shout to the sargent.

The poor sargent was more tense than the strings on a guitar. "Sir!"

"This is my younger brother Alphonse Elric. Thank him for defending you sargent."

"Thank you Alphonse Elric sir for defending me sir!", answered the frightened soldier.

Alphonse's face turned bright red as he was completely ashamed by his brother's unrelenting bullying against the sargent.

"Just call me Al sargent Smith", Al replied as gently as possible.

"See Al? It is annoying to be called 'sir' right?"

Alphonse just sighed and decided to ignore his brother's idiocy.

"Ahem", hawked the sargent.

Ed and Al turned simultaneously his way.

"Brigadier General Mustang asked me to give you this", said the sargent while he took another envelope from his leather pouch.

"Will that bastard ever leave me alone?", Ed growled to himself. "This is what happens when you go soft on someone!"

Edward yanked the envelope from the sargent's hands and squeezed it hard. "Is that all?"

"Yes s- I mean Ed", the sargent replied.

"Then you may retire but before you leave I have a message for the 'great general'", Ed said in the most odious tone he could use. "Tell him that Fullmetal said NOT TO FUCK WITH HIM ANYMORE!

The soldier flinched against Ed's vulgar words. "Understood!"

Edward send him off with a military salute and the sargent disappeared quickly from their site.

In the meantime Al was still standing in his place perplexed with what he just witnessed.

"What. Was. That?", Al asked his brother while they were heading back to the car.

"That? Nothing. Just a report exchange. Nothing more, nothing less", Ed answered with a mischievous smirk.

"There was no need in torturing the poor man Ed", the younger reprimanded the elder.

"No there wasn't Al but- Wasn't it fun?"

"What kind of job you're doing for general Mustang Brother?", Al inquired, changing the subject.

"I've been working on case files for the Intelligence Division", Ed replied with a tinge of bitterness in his words. "I've been helping that department with the hard cases. Unsolved murders, money laundering, drugs- corruption in all its glory."

Al had a somber look on his face. "It's Mr. Hughes old job isn't it?"

Edwards eyes darkened with pain thinking about the man who gave up his life so they could reach their impossible dream of getting their bodies back. "Yes Al- that position within that division is still vacant."

"Brother", it was the only word that came out of Al's mouth as there wasn't any comforting words that could alleviate such bitter memories.

"Mustang has been harassing me for months about me taking over that post. He says that nobody has been able to work on it like I have."

"And the envelope?"

"It contains train tickets with Central as its destination. There is also an authorization letter for a two week stay in Hotel Central. He has been sending me these for almost four months. Mustang wants to talk with me about my 'work options'", Ed said while squeezing the envelope. "Apparently the Bastard says that he sends me two tickets with the excuse that I should take that pretty wife of mine out for a good time in the fabulous city that is Central- that I should take advantage of his ample generosity and give Winry a second honeymoon while at it."

Al couldn't contain his laughter and that sole act brought back Ed's fury.

"Are you going to return to the military Ed?"

"I don't know Al. I honestly don't know", answered the elder while staring into space. "All this time I've been working on those cases as a way of paying my respects to Mr. Hughes-"

"Because he sacrificed his life for our cause", Al added.

Ed nodded. "Winry and even the old hag back me up with this Al but I don't know- I only joined the military in the first place so I could have more options about ways to recover your human body."

Ed's words left Al stunned for a moment. "Has justice prevailed with your help Brother?", Al asked him after carefully choosing his words.

"Yes. Many of the hard cases have been resolved thanks to my help."

"Then what are you waiting for?"

Edward didn't have an answer to that.

"I understand the general, Brother. You are a trustworthy person who possess a great intellect that is only surpassed by an even greater heart. Any type of injustice has always bothered you Ed and while you were in the military you always did something to help the needy- just like Mr. Hughes. If Winry and Granny are behind you on this then why not do it? Besides- I'm also behind you Brother. I know you can do this job and I'm positive it would be something that would make Mr. Hughes very happy."

Ed had a relived look plastered on his face. "I'm heading to Central in three days", he said.

"Now we're talking Brother!", Al grinned. "Now remember to take a Winry with you", he added, followed by a wink.

Now it was Ed's turn to turn red.

"Brother- Why didn't you tell me before about the side jobs you were doing for general Mustang?", Al asked after reaching halfway of the walk back to the car.

«Obviously YOU are not that important to him anymore darling.»

Al suddenly stopped, his eyes were wide. Panic clearly was drawn on his face. He held on to the supermarket bags like his life depended on it.

"Alphonse?", Ed asked worried about his brother.

Al felt like his heart was going to burst out of his chest. "Calm down Alphonse", he said to himself.

Edward touched his shoulder. "Are you ok?"

"Yes, yes. It's nothing really. Let's keep walking. It's getting late and I still have to cook."

The two brothers continued their walk. Ed broke the awkward silence after a few minutes into their walk.

"I didn't tell you anything because I didn't know if you were going to be upset with me about joining the military once again. I was afraid that you would get mad at me because you would think I sold myself out -again- after all the suffering they had caused us already", he confessed, wearing his heart on his sleeve.

Al smiled as Ed's confession touched him deeply. "I understand you Ed- more than you will ever imagine", he whispered to himself.

"Did you say something Al?"

The younger Elric did a double take as he never thought that Edward was going to be able to hear him. "Ed-"

Edward waited for Al to continue.

"There's something I have to confess too. Something that relates to me. Something that I've hidden for a while now because of fear and shame-"

"Did something happened to you in Xing", Ed interjected while taking his big brother role seriously.

«Aw! How pwetty! Bwother is "worried" about you.»

Al felt a really sharp pain on his forehead after hearing the homunculus. This caused him to drop what he was carrying in order to shield his head from the pain. The wine bottle shattered into a thousand pieces. Al shuddered as he took the broken bottle as a bad omen. He couldn't get out of his head the resemblance of the bottle with the fragile state that he was at the moment. Al started to waver from the pain and he would have fallen to the ground if it wasn't for Ed that grabbed him by the arms.

"Al", Ed yelled in panic.

"Migraine", it was all that Al could muster to say.

"I'm taking you to the hospital right now!", Ed said while he put Al's arm over his shoulders.

"No!", Al screamed in fear. "I'm ok. It's going away now. I just want to go home."

Edward frowned. "As you wish but you owe me an explanation."

Alphonse looked at him in his weak state. "I know but first go to Central with Winry. I promise you that we'll talk once you get back."

«Ha, ha, ha! What a pussy! I show up and you choke.»

Al shuddered again when he heard the homunculus. He doubted for a moment if he was going to be able to find a way to eradicate that damned homunculus from his body or if he would have to live the rest of his life with that parasite who slowly was gnawing him from the inside out.

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A/N: I hope that you liked this chapter. Would love to read your opinions on how I am doing so far!

Also chapter 4 is where the Bastard will make his triumphant entrance in the story.

Thanks to all of you who took time to read my story! Lots of love to everyone who took from their time to write a review. Also thank you all for following the madness.

(n_n)


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: So first of all thanks for the reviews! Now I leave you know with this new chapter. I hope you do enjoy it!

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**WARNINGS/DISCLAIMER FOR THIS STORY ARE POSTED ON CHAPTER 1, I SINCERELY RECOMMEND THAT YOU READ THEM BEFORE READING ANY CHAPTER OF THIS STORY. THE FOLLOWING STORY IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART.**

* * *

THIS CHAPTER HAS NOT BEEN ALTERED. IT IS THE SAME IN BOTH MY ACCOUNTS.

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Spring time has always been the season that Central city shined the most. Ed and Winry barely exited the train when they heard the thunderous voice that only Alex Louis Armstrong possessed. Ed quickly picked him out from the crowd because of the mysterious sparkles that always surround that man.

"Edward Elric!", exclaimed the state alchemist with his boisterous voice.

Alex quickly shortened the distance between them with only two gigantic steps he then proceeded to pick up Ed in what looked like a hug. Winry could swear that she heard her husband's back cracking from mayor Armstrong's unrestrained force. The mayor dropped Ed's lifeless body to the floor in order to gallantly salute the ex-state alchemist wife. "Good afternoon beautiful lady! I hope that such a long trip hasn't been too much of an inconvenience for you both."

Winry blushed from the gallant words that came out of the gentle giant. "Yes mayor Armstrong. Everything was fabulous. If I would have known beforehand that traveling first class was this comfortable I would have made Edward buy me that kind of seats long ago."

"Coach class was the only seating that the military allowed me to purchase, Winry", Ed said while standing up and regaining his composure.

"I always thought that spending money always made you uncomfortable, Ed."

"Are you saying that I'm a tightwad Winry?", Ed angrily questioned his wife.

"You said it, not me", she retaliated.

"Well my esteemed friends that is a subject which is best left to discuss behind closed doors", the mayor interjected before the young couple's argument escalated to biblical proportions.

Ed and Winry blushed simultaneously, embarrassed by their juvenile behavior, so they immediately stopped their yapping.

"Did general Mustang send you to be our escort, mayor?", Winry asked changing the subject.

"Yes that is correct. The general wants me to escort you both first to the hotel then proceed to take Edward to General Command", replied Armstrong.

"That way the Bastard makes sure that his "hostage" doesn't escape his clutches", Ed added between clenched teeth.

"Ed!, scolded Winry. "Be more respectful when talking about the general."

"But it is the honest truth Winry!", Ed whined.

"Ahem! The chauffeur is waiting for us", the state alchemist said to them.

The couple ceased their petty argument for a second time and followed the mayor in complete silence.

"Wow!, Winry squealed with delight when she entered the posh suite that was reserved for them at Hotel Central.

Edward was also surprised about such opulence. "It never ceases to amaze me how he always finds a way to shove his influence up a person's face", Ed said to himself.

"Well Edward the general is waiting for us so please say goodbye to your beautiful wife", mayor Armstrong said after placing all the luggage inside the hotel room.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm coming", Ed reluctantly answered. He looked at his beautiful wife who was still admiring every corner of the elegant suite. "Winry I gotta go. I'll see you this evening."

"Ok Ed!", Winry chirped without paying him too much attention as she was busy playing with some trinkets she found in the luxurious bathroom.

Ed smiled to himself as he was more than used to Winry's quirky behavior. He headed to the door and turned around to address the mayor. "Let's go."

Central Command looked intact. There wasn't any trace of the damage that building had suffered during the Promised Day, it was as if time had completely stopped.

It was when he entered the building that he could appreciate the changes. The changes were due to finding new faces working in old posts. Such changes didn't face Ed though since Central city had fallen under a short-lived civil war a year after King Bradley's regime had fallen. For two intense weeks Grumman's troops battled a small guerilla composed of the ex-members of the late Führer's cabinet. The terrorist tactics that the guerilla used did cause large loses to both soldiers and civilians. Eventually failure in leadership among the guerilla leaders was their Achille's heel and eventually they all got crushed by the forces of the newly elected Führer.

Mayor Armstrong and Edward walked to the office that belonged to the new bringadier general Roy Mustang. His new office looked similar to the one he had when he still was a colonel, only bigger.

Colonel Roy Mustang and frist-lieutenant Riza Hawkeye went up the ranks after they came back from the Ishvalan Rehabilitation Campaign. Roy was the new bringadier general in Central while Riza went up various ranks and took Roy's post as the new colonel. Such promotions brought some serious changes to "Team Mustang". Riza didn't work as Roy's assistance anymore. Breda, Fuery, Havoc and Falman had to be split between the general and the colonel. Hawkeye kept the now first-lieutenant Jean Havoc and captain Vato Falman while Mustang had the newly promoted first-lieutenant Heymans Breda as his personal assistant and sargent mayor Kain Fuery remained as 'his ears'.

It was really pleasant to be received in that foreign office by an old face since mayor Armstrong had already left after finishing his mission of leaving him in Roy's territory.

"Hi there Edward! My! How time have passed by", chirped sargent mayor Fuery when he saw the ex-state alchemist walk in. "As you can see many things have changed after you retired", he added.

"Yeah I can see that", he answered offering him a warm smile.

"But the routine is still the same around here", Fuery answered back with the same kind of smile.

"In other words the Bastard is still as incompetent and lazy as always", Ed said with disdain. "Actually- he is even worse now that he doesn't have the first-lieutenant as his babysitter."

Fuery laughed uncomfortably at Ed's venomous remarks, just as he always had laughed at them in the past. "You never change Ed."

Edward grinned from ear to ear as he really liked to pick on Fuery.

"Edward, you still haven't met the new "Team Mustang", Fuery said when he got up his chair. "This is second-lieutenant Robert Blackwell, sargent Millie Culson and sargent Danny Smith; who you already had the pleasure to speak with.

Ed looked at everybody in the office and offered a warm smile, but when his gaze stopped upon sargent Smith, his smile turned more menacing. The sargent tensed up around the blonde's demeanor and immediately shook in fear. Edward chuckled as he also liked to tease that poor man.

"Edward!"

A thunderous voice was heard in the office and this time it wasn't mayor Armstrong's. Ed turned around and saw first-lieutenant Breda entering the room.

"Hey Breda!, Ed responded with a wide smile.

"How's married life? I imagine that your honeymoon is still going on, am I right, or am I right?", he asked while winking at the blonde.

Ed felt like he wanted to run for the hills. "That's none of your concern", he answered with a very upset tone.

The first-lieutenant laughed hard since it was still too easy for him to tease Ed mercilessly. "You know- I don't know how you're going to handle the general if you keep blushing with even at the slightest comments."

"Whatever he does or says, I will simply wipe it off with my-"

"You're going to wipe it off with what Fullmetal?", inquired the baritone voice that belonged to general Mustang.

Ed rolled his eyes and sighed when he heard the voice of his ex-commanding officer. He reluctantly turned around because he really didn't want to look at the Bastard's smug face.

Roy Mustang slowly took his silver watch out of his pocket and opened it to look at the time. "Incredible! You have managed to be on time for this meeting Fullmetal. I guess married life has suited you well after all", the general said after lifting his gaze away from the pocket watch.

"It's not like I had any options. You practically forced Armstrong into bringing me here. A bit more and I would think that you tried to kidnap me and my wife."

An arrogant smirk suddenly appeared in the general's handsome face. "You hurt me Fullmetal. I only wanted to make sure you both were escorted like the VIP's you both are to me."

Edward growled something between his teeth while at the same time he crossed his arms, taking the usual defensive stance. "Cut the crap and let's get to business."

"As you wish Fullmetal", Roy answered while he escorted the blonde into his private office.

Edward plopped himself on to the chair inside the general's private chambers. Ed crossed his arms again after getting more comfortable on the chair. Mustang just kept observing Ed's childish display. Such sad display made him chuckle, something that Ed noticed rather quickly. The general took an absurd amount of time to sit down rubbing off on Ed's face his sophisticated yet elegant manners.

"You know?", he said to Ed while taking a serious demeanor.

"What?", Ed snapped back.

"I need to communicate colonel Hawkeye that she won the bet", Mustang said transforming his serious demeanor into an arrogant one.

"Bet? You guys still do that shit?", Ed answered with utter disdain.

"Yes Fullmetal, you know very well that it is an integral part of keeping up the morale between the subordinates", he replied using a phlegmatic tone. "Hawkeye's team betted that you would be here in less than six months while my team said it was going to take you longer than that", he added while displaying exaggerated gestures of false indignation.

Ed looked at Roy with disbelief upon listening to such impudence. It looked like certain things would never change and it also looked like he was still the butt of the joke around that place. Ed was so upset that he started snarling at the older man. He got up from his chair and walked straight to the door. "I didn't come all the way here from Resembool in order to be everybody's source of entertainment. Goodbye!"

"What made you change your mind?, Mustang asked before Ed exited his room.

Ed stopped on his tracks and decided to turn around. His eyes still burned with fury. "Alphonse", he answered.

Roy smiled again. "I kept wondering if that 'voice of reason' would make you change your mind."

"He said that I could make a great difference in Hughes old post", his tone had turned somber when he answered the general.

"I know that is going to be the case", the general answered Ed with the same kind of tone as the conversation suddenly make him remember his dear deceased friend. "Is your wife ok with this?"

"One-hundred percent", Ed said showing pride in his words.

Roy sighed. "Such devotion! Oh how I wish I had someone like that!", he said as sarcastically as possible.

"And what the hell is Hawkeye to you, you bastard?", yelled the blonde.

"My military comrade and trusty confidant", he smugly replied.

"Yeah right you idiot", Ed answered with anger.

"Fullmetal, do I need to remind you about the fraternization rules of the military?"

"Cut the crap you bastard! Everybody here and I mean EVERYBODY here knows what YOU and the ex first-lieutenant were doing behind closed doors", Ed pointed out while he returned to the chair.

"Talking about that kind of subject, tell me Fullmetal, what do you really think that happen behind closed doors? Was it the same kind of 'things' that happened between you and your mechanic when she 'performed' an automail maintenance?", the general's smile widened as he finished saying those last words.

Ed's face was completely red from the embarrassment. "That doesn't fucking concern you! And don't change the fucking subject!"

Roy couldn't resist laughing out loud as he just found out another way to push Edward's buttons. "If I would have known beforehand that sex talk made you this uncomfortable I would have added it to my repertoire a long time ago."

Ed didn't retaliate. He knew he had blown it. "What's the next step"?, he asked with resignation.

"You would enter the military immediately after signing. Some protocols like boot camp will be waived. You will be assigned the rank of lieutenant colonel and you will assist an officer's school for six months before taking your post inside the Intelligence Division. You will have your own office and the subordinates that were working under the late brigadier general Maes Hughes will be at your disposition."

"Officer's school?", Ed asked Roy while whining.

"Yes Ed, all military personnel with a rank of lieutenant colonel or higher need to attend a special training. The officer's school is designed to teach the new officials about their duties besides teaching them the code of conduct that they need to follow-"

"In other words it is blatant brainwashing masked as an academic course", Ed interjected.

"Call it what you want Fullmetal. The fact is that all officials go through that school and you will not be the exception", Roy stresses with a bit of anger mixed in his words.

"Understood oh great general!", Ed answered back in a mocking tone.

Roy decided to ignore the blonde and continued talking. "You will be the chief of the Intelligence Division but you will respond directly to me, according to the chain of command."

"Tell me something new", Ed said while crossing his arms one more time. "Is that all?"

"Yes. Go to Breda. He will take care of all the necessary paperwork. You start in a month."

"Gotcha", Ed said as he was standing up.

"Once more thing."

"What?", Ed said before exiting the private office.

"Enjoy those two weeks with your wife here in Central because once you enter the officer's school you will miss her- a lot. You know what I mean", he answered with a mischievous smirk.

Roy caught a quick glimpse of Ed's face turning bright red before he left the room.

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A/N: Hope you liked the interaction between Roy and Ed. Is a more mature approach to the constant love/hate relationship they have. **I am writing a gaiden named What Happens In Central, Stays In Central. It is a collection of mini-stories of the time Ed and Winry spent in Central courtesy of Roy Mustang. The story is a crack fic so it's supposed to be erratic, funny and crazy.**

Thanks to all of you who took time to read my story! Lots of love to everyone who took from their time to write a review. Also thank you all for following the madness.

(n_n)


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Thank you all for your reviews! Yes I'm back with a new chapter. It took me a while because this story is a hard one to write and I really needed to stay away from it for a while.

This chapter is called Inception for a reason (Inception: beginning; start; commencement also the act of instilling an idea into someone's mind by entering his or her dreams. -from Dictionary dot com) So yes, this chapter sets the tone for the rest of the story.

**Thank you Athenafrodite** for the PM. Your words helped me sort out what I want with the story.

iAnneart01: You will understand what I wrote on your story once you read this chapter.

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**WARNINGS/DISCLAIMER FOR THIS STORY ARE POSTED ON CHAPTER 1, I SINCERELY RECOMMEND THAT YOU READ THEM BEFORE READING ANY CHAPTER OF THIS STORY. THE FOLLOWING STORY IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART.**

* * *

THIS CHAPTER HAS NOT BEEN ALTERED. IT IS THE SAME IN BOTH MY ACCOUNTS.

* * *

"Al! Don't move!", Pinako said while she finished administering a strong disinfectant to the bite mark on Al's left forearm.

"-but it really stings", whined the blonde.

Pinako stopped momentarily what she was doing and gave Al a flat stare. "I expect that type of whiny behavior from your brother, not you."

The old woman had finished disinfecting the wound and now was bandaging it. Al observed her while she was wrapping his forearm and noticed that there was a worried look on her face. He knew very well that Granny was wondering why Den had attacked him so viciously, but he already knew the answer to that.

oo-OOO-oo

Loosing control in front of his older brother had literally put him between a rock and a hard place. He had already decided to have a talk with Ed about his 'problem' but he still wasn't completely prepared about it and collapsing in front of Ed only made things worse for him. Al kept quiet about his problem for so long because he knew how overprotective his brother was about him, something that was confirmed once again when he collapsed in front of Ed.

Al had gained some time when he pleaded Ed to let him explain his situation when he got back from Central. That conversation happened a week before and now time was running short because Ed was going to be back within a few days. He needed to plan well what he was going to tell his older brother and a long walk around the vast farmlands that surrounded the Rockbell home would certainly helped him with that.

His feet took him to the town's cemetery. He chuckled as he found extremely ironic the fact that he had arrived at a place where weary souls -like his own- would find eternal rest. He opened the cemetery's gate and headed to his parent's graves but first he did a quick stop to pay his respects to Winry's parents.

Al finally knelt in front of his parent's graves. While he was thinking about them, a part of him wished they were still alive so they could help him cope with the hardships he was currently living with.

«Aw! Baby wants his momma and his poppa!»

Envy's taunting completely disrupted his train of thought. "Not now!", he growled.

«As you wish my dear Alphonse.»

"Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!", Al screamed out loud while he pulled at his hair. He couldn't stand anymore the situation he was unwillingly put in.

«Ha! That was too easy.»

Al stood up and stomped away from the cemetery as fast as he could. He was not going to give the homunculus the pleasure to keep toying with his emotions or a chance to desecrate the eternal rest of his dear parents. He walked for a while until he reached the place where his old house once stood in. He sat in front of the charred remains of what was once a loving home.

Al didn't want to go back to the Rockbell's with the heavy emotional state he was currently in as Granny would notice it and she would question him mercilessly until she squeezed the truth out of him. He was lost in his thoughts when suddenly he felt another sharp pain behind his right eye, everything went white soon after.

Alphonse found himself surrounded by a vast white expanse that he found somewhat familiar. He started walking around in order to find a way out of that strange place. He was surprised and amazed with the ghostly scenes that appeared and disappeared around him when he was walking around that place. He realized that those ghostly scenes were fragments of moments he had already experienced. He was fascinated when he discovered that he could touch the imagery around him and receive sensory information from the memories they contained. Alphonse continued trekking along the vast expanse of white while interacting with some of the memories along the way. After a while he noticed a gigantic structure on the horizon and decided to head its way. He was utterly surprised to find out that the structure was a gate, his gate. Had he returned to Truth's realm?

Al got closer to the gigantic gate and noticed a humanoid figure sitting in front of it. Oddly enough the figure was sitting in the same exact position as his withered body once sat while it waited to be rescued from that freakish place. A few steps closer helped him to better distinguish the details on that humanoid figure. He noticed that the figure sported long, wispy hair and wore skimpy black clothes. Al had hoped that the humanoid figure was Truth but his stomach recoiled when he realized that he was face-to-face with the insane homunculus that he constantly hears inside his head.

"Envy?"

Envy didn't noticed the blonde's presence until Al spoke his name. The homunculus stood up and quickly turned around. Envy's face showed that he was as astonished as Al was at the moment.

"Well, well, well. Now THIS is a huge surprise", Envy blurted out as a vicious smile ran across his mouth.

"What are you doing here?", Al asked while his body tensed up as he didn't know what the homunculus was capable of doing.

"Beats me. The last thing I remember was pain, sorrow and your brother's stupid face. Shortly after I got thrown in here and I've been trying to get out from this damned place ever since."

Al swallowed deep. Envy was indeed intertwined with him, such confirmation made him sick to his stomach. Envy caught Al's sudden change in demeanor and chuckled.

"Oh yes darling. As time passed by I understood that I was stuck inside you", Envy answered while sighing. "Unfortunately I am part of you and your pathetic memories and emotions- makes me want to vomit."

Alphonse felt heady. He forced himself to think that all of it was just a horrible nightmare. Envy took advantage of Al's distraction and launched an attack against him successfully grabbing the blonde by the neck.

"I don't understand why all of this happened and frankly I don't give a fuck, however, I WILL keep taking as much advantage as I can from this situation. It's the least I deserve since it is extremely humiliating having to experience life through the likes of you", Envy sneered as he slowly but steadily squeezed the young man's neck.

Al fought with all his might while trying to loosen the grasp of the hand that was strangulating him. A swift kneeing to the homunculus stomach was enough for Envy to let him go. Alphonse fell to his hands and knees, coughing, while he desperately tried to catch his breath.

Envy laughed out loud because he couldn't believe how easy it had been for him to leave the younger Elric in such vulnerable state. The homunculus laughed so hard that tears appeared at the corner of his eyes.

Al was completely astonished with what just took place. How was it possible that the damned parasite had so much power in a place that's supposed to be a part of him?

"Tell me something my dear Al. Does it frighten you the fact that you are under my complete mercy?"

Al clenched his jaw and curled his hands into tight fists after hearing such blatant words being spewed out from the homunculus mouth. He got up and looked at Envy with utter defiance.

"You don't frighten me at all, homunculus. Remember well who you're dealing with you parasite!"

"Is that so?", the homunculus answered with a predatory grin plastered on his face.

With the superhuman agility that a homunculus possess, Envy struck down the blonde and immediately got on top of the him successfully pinning him down. Then he held Al's hands tightly at each side of the blonde's head. Alphonse squirmed around while trying to escape the homunculus grasp but his efforts were all in vain.

"Get off me!", Al yelled in panic.

"Oh I think that it is YOU who doesn't know who he's dealing with", Envy said with a smug smirk.

Envy got near Al's face. At that distance he could observe how contracted where Al's olive eyes. He could also inhale the intoxicating smell of fear coming off the blonde's body, something that drew a smile of utter satisfaction on his sinister mouth.

"Do you have any idea of the things I am capable of doing to you right at this moment, darling?"

Envy got closer to Al draping him with his long, dark locks and whispered something into the young man's ear. Al's eyes suddenly widened displaying pure terror.

"Let me go you bastard!", Al snarled as he thrashed around once again, trying to shake off the homunculus.

Envy chuckled then leaned backwards so he could better enjoy the state of terror he left the poor blonde in.

"Relax Al! I'm not going to touch a hair. It would be too easy breaking you that way and we don't want that, or do we?"

The homunculus let go of Al's hands but kept straddling him. Once again he rocked his body forward and grinned.

"Do you know how much I despise you and your goody-two-shoes attitude?", he asked Alphonse while grinning from ear to ear. "I will finish smirching the good in you, Alphonse Elric", Envy added while patting the blonde's cheek.

"Over my dead body Envy!", Al furiously growled while he tried again to shake the homunculus off him.

"You know? For a moment there I thought I was dealing with the Peepsqueak- Oh that reminds me, I have a score to settle with him." He sneered.

Envy released Al from his grasp. The young man took the opportunity to place some distance between them.

"Go to hell!", Al spat.

Alphonse knew that he had to act fast before Envy tried to pull a new stunt against him. He clapped his hands together, ready to transmute, but noticed that there weren't enough materials in that place to create a successful transmutation.

"You still don't get it Al? You're mine now."

Suddenly Envy extended on of his arms, striking the blonde's forehead. Alphonse fell to his knees while shrieking in pain as Envy's fingers dug deep into his forehead. Al tried desperately to pull away the homunculus hand but he already was under his complete control. All Alphonse could do now was to hear the sadistic laughter of that homunculus.

"You and I are going to become one Al. You'll see. When that happens I promise you that we'll have a blast, darling."

Alphonse found himself screaming at the top of his lungs when he came to. Immediately he put a hand on his forehead and was relieved to find that his forehead was still intact. It took him a while to recognize his surroundings but eventually he saw that he was still at the burnt ruins of his old home. He felt saliva hanging from his chin. With still shaky hands Alphonse was able to take a handkerchief out of a pocket in his pants and proceeded to wipe his chin with it. While he wiped his chin clean he realized that he had suffered another convulsion, the strongest one yet. He put a hand over his mouth in order to stop the sobs that wanted to escape from his throat. He wished with all his heart that what had happened to him was due to a hallucination caused by convulsions but he knew deep in his heart that everything had been a reality.

It was hard for him to stand up but when he finally did, walked a few paces only for his legs to falter and drop him back to the ground. He started to feel a faint headache creep in followed by a warm liquid that was dripping out of his nose. Al instinctively touched his nose only to find bright red blood on his fingers when he looked at them. He started hyperventilating because of the blood but managed to regain his composure after a few minutes. He wiped his nose clean then tried to stand up once again. He took a few steps forward without falling so he decided to return to the Rockbell's before nightfall.

The walk helped him feel less dizzy but the headache was still there hammering away. He had reached Pinako's house and spotted Den who had been happily waiting for his return. The dog was wagging her tail at Al but suddenly stopped when he got near her. Den smelled him then suddenly started growling at him with her tail between her legs.

"What's wrong girl?"

Al tried to pet the dog but she launched herself at him and bit his left forearm with ferocity.

Pinako went outside to see what was all the ruckus about. Once outside she found Den hiding inside her doghouse while Al was staring at space looking like he had seen the Devil himself.

oo-OOO-oo

"All done!", Pinako said while giving Al a small pat in the back. Al didn't even flinch as he was lost in thought.

"Alphonse, did something happen to you while you were out?"

Al snapped out if his stupor after hearing those words and noticed that Pinako had her 'worried face' on. He scolded himself as he now had to measure every word that came out if his mouth because he knew very well that the old lady had the skill to unravel a person by just looking at them.

"Nothing happened that was out of the ordinary Granny. I went to visit my parents then walked to the old house", he said with a sorrowful look while flashbacks came into his mind about what happened between him and Envy hours before.

"Ok boy. I believe you", she answered after a long and nerve-wrecking pause. "I didn't cook dinner so you'll ave to fix something for yourself."

Al exhaled with utter relief as Granny's questioning ended rather quick. "Are you tucking yourself in for the day?"

"Yes m'boy. These old bones feel heavy. Must be the age catching up to me", she answered with a weary smile.

Pinako went to her room while Al headed to the kitchen. Food did little to appease his headache so he decided to step outside to catch some fresh air. He was contemplating the stars when Den got out of her doghouse and approached him once again.

The dog's incessant barking was making his headache a lot worst and this was making him angry. Al threatened the dog with a nasty glare followed by a 'shut your fucking trap' but the dog didn't back down.

It was then that Al decided to teach the dog a lesson. He clapped his hands and knelt on the ground. The transmutation created sent Den flying. She yelped in pain when she hit the ground then she ran towards her doghouse and hid inside it. Alphonse had a sadistic smile drawn on his face as he was more than satisfied with inflicting pain to the poor dog.

"That's what you get for biting me you fucking bitch!", he yelled at Den while he laughed out loud.

Pinako shut the curtains. She had a hunch that there was something wrong with Al and the fact that he abused the dog in such a cruel way confirmed her suspicion. She decided to keep tabs on Al because she was going to find out the reason of the blonde's sudden change in behavior.

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A/N: So how was it? BTW I leave it up to you what evil things Envy whispered into Al's ear. Poor Al he is becoming evil- progressively evil thus becoming very OOC. So what do you think Pinako will do? How will she handle Al when Ed and Winry are gone?

R&R!

Thanks to all of you who took time to read my story! Lots of love to everyone who took from their time to write a review. Also thank you all for following the madness.

(n_n)


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Finally after two months I update this story! I have been working diligently on it for a while but didn't want to release this whopping 4,000 word chapter until it was around Halloween (in the USA). Why? Just read and you will understand. Let's just say that the psychological deconstruction of Alphonse Elric is almost complete. Almost.

This chapter was really hard to write because I literary had to delve in the dark realms of the human mind/psyche so that the reader can connect with the characters on a deep level. Hopefully the impact (as this IS a horror fic) that I wanted to portray did come through but I will only know if I was successful if you dear fanfictiondotnet reader and dear guest reader comment on the efforts.

**It should go without saying that the content of this fic is completely fictional.**

**Thank you so much jaclynkaileigh** for your help with the reviewing of this chapter and for all the emotional support that I so desperately needed in order to keep going. It still perplexes me how horror fiction writers do this kind of thing for a living…

Chapter 6 of Insidious has a parallel timeline with chapter 5 of What Happens In Central, Stays In Central (WHICSIC) but the content of these chapters couldn't be more different. I do advise that if you would like to read a bit of quirky EdWin fluff go and read WHICSIC first because Insidious is a hard read that will get to you one way or another and the darkness has just begun.

Is just as Jaclyn wrote to me: "This is so crazy exciting, twisted and beyond thunderdome of infamous for sure." I couldn't agree more but you, dear reader, can also attest to her words.

**Happy Halloween for those who believe in it! I hope this chapter makes justice to this spooky and creepy festivity. XD**

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**WARNINGS/DISCLAIMER FOR THIS STORY ARE POSTED ON CHAPTER 1, I SINCERELY RECOMMEND THAT YOU READ THEM BEFORE READING ANY CHAPTER OF THIS STORY. THE FOLLOWING STORY IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART.**

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THIS CHAPTER HAS NOT BEEN ALTERED. IT IS THE SAME IN BOTH MY ACCOUNTS.

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Alphonse gazed at the outside world through the only window in his room. His curious eyes went directly to Den's doghouse. He noticed that the dog was still inside of the small wooden construction, probably too afraid to come out of her safety zone. He deeply sighed as he brought his full attention back to his cherished journal.

He started tapping his fingers on the wood desk while his mind slowly drifted away. Had Envy managed to create permanent damage to his psyche? Was that the reason he felt so confused, as if his mind was completely clouded and distorted? Where did he stop being himself to give way to that dastardly creature? Which thoughts and which emotions where his… And why couldn't he feel any remorse for what he did to Den?

The loud roaring of his stomach interrupted his train of thought. He had been so immersed in his quest for answers that he actually forgot it was time to eat. He stashed away his journal then went downstairs and headed to the kitchen.

Alphonse found Pinako sitting at the breakfast table while sipping her coffee. "Good morning Granny!" He greeted her in his usual joyful and carefree manner.

Pinako looked at him from behind her coffee mug. She was in complete disbelief about the boy's happy-go-lucky attitude. How was it possible that the boy didn't show even the slightest trace of guilt for what he had done to Den? "Alphonse, didn't you hear Den yelping last night?" She put the boy to test after she took a long sip of coffee.

"No Granny. I went to bed early because I was feeling under the weather. Did something happen to Den?" He responded with a fake sense of deep concern.

Pinako couldn't believe her eyes and ears. She didn't want to accept that Al could lie with such ease. Why was he behaving in such a deceitful manner? She grunted as she laid her coffee mug down. "I cooked some breakfast. Go and serve yourself whatever you like. I was about to leave as I have tons of work ahead of me because Winry is not here to run the shop."

"Do you need any help?" He sweetly asked.

"Not in the shop, but I do need you to run over to the train station and pick up a package at the warehouse. The package contains a special part imported from Rush Valley that I need in order to finish Mr. Davies' foot."

The old woman got up and patted Al's shoulder as she walked past him. Al followed her while he volunteered to help her with the dirty dishes. He kept his eyes glued on her every move right until she disappeared into the automail shop. "She suspects me." He muttered since he noticed that the old woman was indeed behaving oddly towards him.

"What do I suspect, Alphonse?" She asked right after she came back into the kitchen.

"I don't know what you're referring to, Granny." He replied, trying to sound nonchalant.

Pinako looked at him with profound sadness. It deeply hurt her that Al was behaving in such a petty manner. She sighed. "I don't know what's happening to you boy, but I want you to know that I'm always here for you," she said with the deepest sympathy, "Never think you are alone in this world Alphonse. You have a family that loves you and worries about you."

Alphonse was shocked upon hearing such words. Why was the old hag being so condescending with him? His eyebrows began to knit into a frown. Who the hell does she think she is to be treating him that way? He was not a snot-nosed kid for her to talk to him with such arrogance. He felt that his blood began to boil. "I told you that everything is fine!" He finally spewed. He was so furious about her 'little speech' that his olive eyes started shining like incandescent lava. Al gritted his teeth as he turned around and stomped his way out of the house. Pinako jumped in place as Al slammed the door behind him, making her legs quiver. She couldn't recognize the boy that grew up alongside her grand daughter. What was happening to the boy was far more serious that she first imagined. She felt shaken by the blonde's frenetic outburst but nonetheless she returned to the shop thinking that if she buried herself in work, she would be able to forget what just happened, if even for just a brief moment.

Watching the pigeons fly around the small town square helped him unwind and regain his composure. How did he dare talk back to Granny in such a disrespectful manner when it was clear that she was just looking out for him? "Envy." He mumbled, feeling stupid for not noticing the homunculus' influence before. He groaned as he hid his sour look behind his hands.

He decided right then and there that when he returned to Granny's he was going to apologize to her for his rude behavior as it wasn't his intention to offend her in the first place. It crossed his mind to talk to her about his dilemma but quickly discarded the idea. It was imperative that he talked to Ed first and besides he thought that in her old age, Pinako was not going to be able to handle well another misfortune, not in the way that his brother could. His roaring stomach once again reminded him that he needed to eat. Luckily he carried a few cens with him so he decided to grab something to eat at the only bakery in town before picking up Granny's package at the train station.

Pinako thought she heard the front door bell. She found it odd as everyone in town knew that she was at the automail shop during work hours. She took off her gloves and safety glasses then slowly headed to the front door. Through the window in the living room she saw a short, young Xinguese man who was dressed with traditional Xinguese garments. She concluded that the young man was looking for Alphonse so she decided to welcome him inside.

"Good day honorable lady. I'm Lao Chang, emissary from the Chang house of Xing. I came to deliver a letter personally written by princess Mei to Mr. Edward Elric."

Pinako thought it was highly suspicious that the young man was looking for Ed and not Al. "You have to excuse us but Edward is out of town at the moment, but Alphonse is available, if you want to—"

"Pardon the interruption, honorable lady, but princess Mei gave me strict orders that this letter was to be opened by Mr. Edward Elric. In the case that Mr. Edward Elric is not present, then the letter must be opened by the person put in charge of the household."

The old woman frowned, becoming quite alarmed after hearing the emissary's orders. What the hell was written in that letter? "I'm the owner of the house," she curtly answered, "This is about Alphonse, am I right?"

Lao Chang became stiff. "As I said before, my sole duty was to deliver this letter to Mr. Edward Elric or to the person put in charge of the household if he was not available." Lao Chang coldly replied, then bowed. "Now if you excuse me, I have to return to the train station before my train departs. Have a wonderful day." The young man turned around and quickly trekked downhill.

Pinako remained bewildered as she observed the emissary disappear into the horizon. She squeezed the letter in her hand. "Alphonse, what is happening with you boy?"

Al was leaving the train station when he noticed a young Xinguese man walking his way. His stomach dropped when he recognized that it was Lao Chang. What the hell was that fucking asshole doing in Resembool? He was going to find that out. "Lao Chang! What a small world this is. So, what are you doing in Resembool?" Al said as he intercepted the emissary.

Lao Chang's face turned white. He couldn't believe his bad luck as Alphonse Elric was the last person he wanted to see during his mission. "Mr. Elric!" He answered nervously. "I've never would have guessed that I would have the luck to meet you in this place. How do you find yourself on this lovely day?"

Al quickly picked up the tension coursing through the emissary's chi. It was clear that the Xinguese man felt repulsed by his presence and he took this as an insult. A wide smirk spread through his face while he glared at the emissary with malevolence. "Let's leave the good manners for another day Lao Chang. Now tell me, WHAT THE FUCK are you doing in Resembool?" Al's malevolent glare quickly turned predatory.

The blonde's piercing words kept Lao Chang frozen in place. "I— I only came to Resembool to deliver a letter from the princess to your brother."

Lao Chang's words hit Alphonse like a ton of bricks. First that damned Mei refuses to help him then she kicks him out of the royal palace and now she adds injury to insult by attempting to libel his good name? "Fucking pipsqueak." He gritted his teeth while his clenched fists shook uncontrollably. A roar-like sound escaped past Alphonse's lips, making the emissary quiver in fear. He didn't want to loose control like he did earlier that morning as he was in a public place after all. Al closed his eyes, took a deep breath and found his center of balance. When he opened his eyes, he stared directly at the emissary while offering him the most cordial smile. "Thank you Lao Chang for the information. Please send my best wishes to our lovely princess. Have a safe trip back to Xing!" Al bowed then turned around and headed back to the Rockbell home leaving the frightened and confused emissary behind.

It was a wise choice to have sit down before starting to read Mei Chang's letter as its contents were a bit too much for her old bones to withstand. The words written in the letter seemed so alien to her. It really felt as if the princess was describing a total stranger and not her sweet Alphonse. If it wasn't for what she witnessed the night before, she would have completely disregarded the contents of such inflammatory letter. What bothered her the most was Mei's recommendation to keep Al away from society because his instability could bring nefarious consequences to all that surround him.

"Homunculus." She mumbled as tears threatened to escape from her weary eyes. That dreaded word made her remember the young Xinguese prince who was part of the group of ruffians that Ed brought to her house during the events that lead to the Promised Day. On that occasion Edward told her that the young man was possessed by a homunculus, or an artificial human, named Greed. He explained to her that was the reason why the Xinguese prince presented constant changes in personality as he shared his body with the homunculus. In her letter, princess Mei wrote that she thought Alphonse was harboring the homunculus that went by the name of Envy since she felt his cruel presence intertwined with Al's chi. That bit information also made her recall what Winry spoke to her about that homunculus. Winry described Envy as evil personified. She told her it had been Envy who left Mrs. Hughes, a widow, and Elicia without her loving father. She also told her it was that same homunculus the one responsible for starting the war that sacrificed the entire nation of Ishval which in turn made Envy indirectly responsible for the murder of her dearest son and daughter-in-law.

Impossible! Mei could be wrong about her suspicions, but, she had been witness of Al's instability. It had been years since she felt so much despair. "Al, Ed, why does life insist of punishing you boys with such cruelty?" She wiped away the tears with her apron then got up from her recliner and headed to her room. She hid the letter behind a false bottom in her jewelry box. After much thought, she decided that she was going to give the letter to Ed as soon as he and her grand daughter arrived from Central. Afterwards the three of them could sit down and discuss the best course of action to take about Al's alarming situation. She looked at the calendar hanging from her armoire. Five long days awaited her.

"Granny I'm back!"

Pinako became startled when she heard Al call her name. After she calmed down from the sudden impression, she went downstairs to meet up with the blonde. "I heard you boy! Can't this old woman take a nice nap?" She said while faking an exaggerated yawn.

"You were sleeping at these hours?" He answered with incredulity.

"Yes boy. I was tired and decided to lie down." She said, rather annoyed with the boy. "Do you have the part?"

"Yes, here it is." Al took out a small, heavy-bound envelope from his pocket and handed it to the old woman.

Pinako took out a magnifying glass from her apron and carefully inspected the delicate part. "Thanks Alphonse." She held the part tightly in her hand as she headed to the shop. "Can you take care of dinner?" The old woman asked before closing the door.

"Sure Granny! I'll take care of it soon." His old sweet self answered her while his current self planned out the search for the damned letter.

It was already nightfall when Pinako closed the shop. She was surprised to find the kitchen empty and quickly wondered were Alphonse was at when a bad feeling struck her. She came to realize that there was a high possibility that Al had stumbled across the Xinguese emissary thus finding out about the existence of Mei's letter. Pinako swallowed deeply as dread started to run down her spine. Nonetheless she decided to look for Alphonse while she shook her fears away.

Pinako stood in front of Al's room. She took a deep breath and crossed her fingers, hoping to find the boy in his room. When she opened the door, she didn't find Al inside. She grumbled something out of frustration as she headed to the master room. She couldn't help but gasp when she stepped inside that room. It looked like a bomb just went off as clothes, books and papers were scattered all over the bed and floor. The ominous scene sadly confirmed that Al knew about the letter. Suddenly her instincts screamed at her that she could be in real danger but her deep affection for the Elric boy finally convinced her to keep moving forward. She truly believed that she could convince Al to seek the help he so desperately needed.

Pinako heard faint noises coming from her room. Her heart was beating faster as she got closer. She found the blonde chuckling while he read the letter.

"I'm perfectly fine." Al said, rather cockily, when he finally noticed Granny's presence outside the room.

For some reason Al's calm demeanor made Pinako's feel very uneasy. She immediately regretted her search for the blonde. She wanted to run away, but even if she somehow managed to do it, her age would just backfire on her effort. The only way out now was to make the boy listen to reason.

"You're not well Al. I know that this is hard to accept, but please understand. You need help boy, you need help now." She noticed that Al seemed to be paying attention to her words so she decided to press on. "Let's go downstairs Al. I'll prepare you a nice cup of hot chocolate while I call doctor Richards so he can take a quick look at you. After all you do want Ed to find you well when he gets back from Central, right?"

There it was again… What patronizing bitch! Mei's letter crinkled in Al's hand. Blind anger was making him shake, making him loose control. "I've already told you that I'm per-fect-ly fine. What the fuck YOU don't understand about that?" He yelled at her while he fulminated her with a frightening glare.

Her approach wasn't panning out the results she wanted. She could now see evil intentions written in the blonde's face. Pinako stood her ground even though she was completely terrified of the raving blonde. "No Al." A warm, faint smile made it's way to her thin lips. "Last night I saw you hurt Den. What you did was out of pure evil and you're not like that boy. It's clear that you are being influenced by—"

"SHUT YOUR TRAP!" Al grabbed the old woman by the neck and slammed her against the wall. Pinako thrashed around, trying to desperately pry open those hands that were restricting her airway.

She thought what was happening to her was not real and that the monster she in front of her eyes was just a figment of her imagination.

Everything began to blur. She could only hear her heart beating and this was fading too. She thought that she had blinked and it was then that she realized that everything was becoming more dim. She tried to take another breath but she couldn't because her neck hurt. Suddenly she heard something snap and this sound ringed inside her head. Now she felt heavy, tired. Nothing made sense anymore. She thought of her grand daughter one last time before everything went completely black.

The sound of bones cracking brought Al back to reality. He found himself panting like a wild animal and screamed when he realized that he was grabbing Granny by the neck. He pried open his hands and Pinako's lifeless body fell to the floor, producing a loud thud. She looked like a ragged doll.

"No—"

"I didn't do this—"

"No, no, no— Oh dear God, NO!" He screamed hysterically as he instinctively covered his mouth. "What did I do?" He finally muttered as he started to feel nauseated. Suddenly the old woman's head turned at an angle that placed her disfigured face in direct line with his line of sight. Those bulging blank eyes covered with spidery veins, those terribly dilated pupils, those blue lips, that swollen tongue and that horrible look made Alphonse bend over and puke all over the hallway floor. After he finished retching, he wiped his nose and mouth clean with the back of his sleeve then he slid to the floor keeping his back against the wall. He wrapped his arms around his folded knees and started rocking himself back and forth.

Al started to stare at that inert figure who not long ago was trying to help him out. The homunculus' wicked laughter suddenly boomed inside his head. He acknowledged Envy's presence with a grimace that distilled pure hatred. He was still staring at Granny's lifeless body when his mind became inexplicably preoccupied with finding a way to cover up the heinous act he just committed.

Not thinking it twice Al moved closer to Pinako's body, and like a coroner, he looked closely at all the marks and bruises caused by the strangulation. He deduced that he could erase the damage inflicted with the aid of alkahestry but his level of skill would only permit him to repair the cutaneous and subcutaneous tissues. The only evidence left for scrutiny was going to be the broken hyoid but he was counting that at the morgue they wouldn't do a detailed autopsy on her body. Pinako was a very old woman to begin with, and without signs of external lesions, the report would show that she died of natural causes or at least this is was he hoped for.

Alphonse knew that he had to act fast before rigor mortis sets in. He dragged the small body inside the room and placed it in a manner that looked like she had collapsed on the floor. He walked to his room and collected the kunai that Mei gave him as a present when he was studying under her. He placed five of those knives around the lifeless body, making a perfect circle with them. He clapped his hands and placed them inside the circle thus activating a pentagram array. The familiar blue current now ran all over the old woman's corpse. Just as he expected, he saw that all the external damages caused by the strangulation were disappearing from the frail body. He couldn't help but to guffaw as the restoration had been a complete success.

«Ha, ha, ha! I've never would have guessed that you had the balls to pull off something of this caliber my dear Alphonse.»

The blonde remained unfazed by Envy's sarcastic comment. He kept verifying that he staged the scene correctly.

«Bravo! Simply spectacular! It really looks like you're going to get away with cold-blooded murder.»

Al frowned. "You made me do this."

«Heh. Who knows… But this ingenious coverup is definitely of your devising.»

Al went downstairs to grab a bucket and a mop from the utility room. He went upstairs and cleaned the vomit in the hallway. He went back inside Granny's room and finished cleaning up the mess he made in there. He picked up Mei's letter and deconstructed it using alchemy then he bent over to dislodge the five kunai from the wooden floor. He put them back in his room then went inside the master room to tidy it up. When he finished, he went back to his room and dropped himself on his bed. He stared blankly at the ceiling while he planned out the story he was going to tell the authorities when they finally found out about Pinako Rockbell's untimely death.

«You really fucked up, darling.»

Alphonse scowled as he contemplated his other option.

«I must warn you, darling, that telling the truth means admitting to killing the old hag. YOU will end up in jail. YOU will permanently break your sweetheart's oh-so delicate heart and dear Brother will eternally hate YOU for it. So you see, YOU have everything to lose and nothing to gain from this boo-boo.»

"Dammit." The homunculus was right. He grimaced as he realized that he didn't want to lose what little he had left.

Al got up from his bed and went downstairs. He picked up the telephone and told the operator to connect him with the police so he could give them notice that he had found Pinako Rockbell dead.

After a couple of hours, the ambulance finally took Granny's corpse to the morgue. Now the vast emptiness of the house matched the vast emptiness of his soul. There was no turning back now.

It was going to be hard to deal with grieving friends, it was going to be hard to face Ed but it was going to be even harder to face a grieving Winry, still, dealing with them was the least of his concerns. His main concern was his preoccupation about his inability to feel any remorse for the evil acts he just committed.

Al walked into the kitchen and grabbed from the refrigerator door the small piece of paper with the phone number for the hotel that Ed and Winry were staying at. He headed back to the telephone and patiently waited to get connected with the operator.

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A/N: So what do you think? Al, well… he is in a really dark place and dear Envy is waiting for him with open arms. I do want to let everybody know that this IS an EdWin story even though it doesn't look that way yet.

Oh Mei. There is a perfectly good reason why she didn't warn/call personally and this will come to light later on.

I'm not going to be updating this story that much because of the holidays. I may write one more chapter before mid December but that's it. I really don't want to work full time on Insidious during the happiest time of the year. I will write more chapters after mid January. However I can let you know that there will be multiple character deconstruction and another character death. All characters are fair game in this story including the main characters... So who will it be?

One more thing for all who have read What Happens In Central, Stays In Central (WHICSIC). I know that the story was crack and I wrote it that way so I could take a break from the dark content of Insidious and I also wanted to concentrate on some EdWin "fluff" before all hell breaks loose. However the chapters in WHICSIC do have overlapping content with future chapters of Insidious.

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**Check out jaclynkaileigh's The Absence of Souls. It's an EnWin/EdWin story that IMHO is fresh, original and funny. Yes, funny, even though she doesn't believe this to be true. She has this knack to make the reader smile no matter what plus she has demonstrated that she can be hardcore if she wants to. She's so good that she made me like AlxMei, a pairing that I hate with a passion. She has made me ROFL with her creative style and even has made cry with the cheer power of her storytelling. ****Her other stories are just as good! Go check them out! Today! ¡Ahora mismo! XD**

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A/N: Thanks for all who have read this story and I specially thank all who have taken their time to review. Your reviews are like a balm for this weary soul.

Also thank you all for following the madness. XD


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: I know, I know. It's been about three months since the last update. Many things had happened that have made me take a break from this story but I finally made peace with them, so here's the next installment.

Oh, I'm taking off the shipping in this story, however this is intended to be mainly EdWin. The story pickups from the last chapter of What Happens in Central, Stays in Central.

By the way, I'm adding a short summary below just to put you up-to-date with the content of this story. I'll do this every time there's a huge time gap between updates.

Enjoy the reading!

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**WARNINGS/DISCLAIMER FOR THIS STORY ARE POSTED ON CHAPTER 1, I SINCERELY RECOMMEND THAT YOU READ THEM BEFORE READING ANY CHAPTER OF THIS STORY. THE FOLLOWING STORY IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART.**

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THIS CHAPTER HAS NOT BEEN ALTERED. IT IS THE SAME IN BOTH MY ACCOUNTS

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**SUMMARY**

Al hasn't been himself since he got back from Xing. He had been suffering from headaches and seizures —along with abnormal personality/mood changes— since he got his body back from the gate. He soon discovers that the reason for his ailment falls in the form of the homunculus named Envy who somehow had made its way into Alphonse's mind. The homunculus has been slowly but steadily gaining ground within Al's psyche. In the meantime younger Elric has been trying to find a way to eradicate the parasite from his being and had considered seeking his older brother's help. Edward decides to accept Mustang's offer to enlist back and take charge of Maes Hughes's post as Lt. Col. for the Intelligence Division. He travels with Winry to Central to sign the papers and for some little sightseeing before he enters the Officer's School. An unfortunate encounter with an emissary from Xing made Al lose the little emotional control he had as Mei Chang knew of his condition. Pinako confirms her suspicions that Al is not well from a letter written by the Xinguese princess. She tries to help the frenetic young man but falls victim to his blind fit of rage and ends up dead by his hands. As self-preservation kicks in, instead of going to the authorities, Al uses alkahestry to cover up the homicide and later creates a coverup to make everyone believe that Pinako Rockbell died of natural causes and not by him.

**END OF SUMMARY**

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Edward expected many things to happen when he and Winry got back from Central. He expected a warm welcome from his dear brother. He expected a nice exchange of carefully selected words with the old hag. He really expected to be grossed out with the aforementioned woman as he still couldn't shake away the image of the younger, more daring Pinako Rockbell —and her questionable practices— but what he would have never expected in a million years was to come home in the midst of tragedy.

Ed blanched when he heard the words "Granny is dead, Brother," coming from the other side of the line. Guilt always ended up getting the best of him as Al told him that he was the one who called the night before, the night he decided that a nice round of love making with his sexy wife was better than to talk with whoever was calling that late. At first he didn't know how to tell Winry that her only blood relative had passed away while they were on vacation. All hell broke loose in a matter of minutes when he finally decided to break the awkward silence that had enveloped the luxurious hotel room. It tore at his very core to see Winry so inconsolable and why wouldn't be she be? Pinako had been her mother and her father for the past fifteen or so years. She had given Winry the stability that she would have not found under any other circumstances, heck, the old hag had even been so kind as to have given some stability to his accursed existence.

With the General's influence over Central, they were able to board the afternoon train to Resembool. Both knew that this particular train ride was going to be excruciatingly long but those long hours would serve Ed well as he was able to console his grief-stricken wife. They pulled in at Resembool's train station by quarter-to-midnight where they were received by a very withdrawn Alphonse upon their arrival.

The ride to the Rockbell home had been very uncomfortable to say the least. Al's attitude turned evasive whenever Ed asked him about the details on Pinako's untimely death. This in turn made Winry explode in a fit of anger and a verbal fight ensued. Fortunately the trio had finally calmed down after they arrived at the yellow house. It was only then that the younger Elric divulged that he had already taken care of the paperwork with regards of the autopsy and the late Pinako was going to be transported to the town's funeral home early the next morning.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Edward was in desperate need of some fresh air. He excused himself with Winry and exited the room where Granny's body was being held. The nauseating mixture of death, disinfectant and formaldehyde had gotten the best of him. Unfortunately that time of the year wasn't helping with the acrid smell either as the heat of summer was inching in with each passing day. Pinako's body will not last more than a day under such warm conditions. The blonde made a beeline to the restroom as the thought Granny's already rotting flesh made him more queasy.

Splashing some cold water on his face made him feel a bit better. After a minute or two the elder Elric shifted his gaze from the rusty sink drain to meet his haggard reflection on the small mirror hanged in front of him. He grimaced.

Edward absolutely abhorred funeral homes. Such detestable places always brought back all those ugly memories from his traumatic past. It made him replay in his mind all the events that happened shortly after his mother's death. It made him remember Hughes's death, Nina's death… but it mostly made him relive the moment when he himself was close to dying at the bottom of a cold, godforsaken mine. The blonde shook his head as it wasn't the time to dwell in painful memories. He had to get a hold of himself and be the pillar that Winry so desperately needed. The ex-alchemist headed back to the wake room after thoroughly drying his hands and face.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Winry got up from her chair shortly after Ed excused himself and headed over where her late grandmother's body laid. Pinako looked so serene inside the coffin just the way she'd imagine it would be. A half-cast smile appeared on Winry's face as she recalled images of a lively Pinako Rockbell. What had happened? Granny looked well and healthy before she and Ed left for Central, so how come she was now laying in that casket? The blonde knew that her grandmother was getting quite old and was going to pass away at some point but she never would have guessed that it was going to be this soon. She and her husband knew little of what had actually transpired as Al was being too reluctant to talk. Just thinking about his sketchy behavior made her blood boil anew. The mechanic found herself scowling as she remembered the heated argument from the night before. Why would Al keep his mouth shut about something so important to her? The mechanic gripped the side of the coffin with anger. She looked again at the lifeless body and her anger shifted back to a dull sorrow. Winry closed her eyes for a moment, trying to make peace with all of it, then walked back to where she was sitting. Pitt's mother had just sat beside her and offered her a cup of hot coffee along with a small piece of cake. At least the perky woman would keep her mind busy until Ed returned from the restroom.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Alphonse had been very busy since they've arrived at the funeral home. He had actually managed talking to everyone who came to pay respects to the late Pinako. He was even complimented about being such an attentive host under such sad circumstances, but, he wasn't being amicable because he wanted to. The truth was that he wanted to avoid speaking with Ed or Winry for as much as he could. They desperately wanted to know what had happened to the old woman but he wasn't prepared to talk about it just yet— He wasn't prepared to lie about it just yet. What was there to say? That he snuffed Granny's life in a fit of rage? That he did a superb job covering up such dastardly deed?

«—That you enjoyed too much pulling the wool over everybody's eyes?»

Al cringed. It was true. No matter how much he wanted to fool himself the reality was that he felt a kind of exhilaration that he had never felt in his life, heck, he even felt pride for deceiving the authorities and getting away with murder. "Humans are such simple people after all…" He muttered as the corners of his mouth automatically curled upwards.

«Ha! Couldn't have said it better.»

Alphonse's eyes just widened in horror. Had he really just said that? Suddenly he started to feel a little sick upon the stark realization. Thank the heavens that the restroom was nearby.

By the time Al reached the restroom he had become light-headed. The short-haired blonde swung the door open and crashed into someone, knocking that person down on his wake.

"Oh I'm sorry sir— Ed?" Al said, cursing inwardly at the bad timing.

"You've really have gotten really strong Al," Ed replied from the floor, laughing nervously from the embarrassment.

"I guess…" Al muttered, slightly blushing, "Never mind that. What are you doing here? Why aren't you with Winry?"

"I needed to take in some fresh air," Ed said as he got up and dusted off his pants, "Anyway, you know how I hate these kind of places."

"Yeah…" Al answered as he recalled his share of bad memories. "Funeral homes are rather stuffy, if I say so myself."

"Hey Al. You're going to let us on the details once Granny is buried, right?" Ed said while changing the subject.

Al stiffened. "I was planning on it, Brother," he finally answered, "I'm holding back for Winry's sake. It's been too much already and I just don't want to see her hurt more than she already is." The younger Elric added, drawing a half smile from the elder with his heart-felt response.

"Heh. We haven't changed a bit, huh little brother?" Ed replied remembering all those times they kept Winry in the dark so she wouldn't worry too much about them. "She's special."

"More than you can imagine, Brother." Al kept that thought to himself but answered back with a kind gaze accompanied by a candid smile.

"Well Al, I gotta go. I don't want to keep my Winry waiting." The elder Elric said to the younger as he walked past him. Ed stopped in front of the door frame with his back to Al. "We also have that other talk pending," Ed reminded his little brother before exiting the restroom.

"Yes we do," Al answered as his kind gaze began to turn into an ugly scowl. Shit. Now he also had to come up with an elaborate story that would keep his dirty little secret safe. Dammit.

**oo-OOO-oo**

A simple burial was performed while the cliché rainfall fell on all those who assisted. The ceremony was short but heartfelt even though the priest that performed it hardly new anything about the old woman other that she had been an expert in automail engineering and that she had taken care of her only grandchild after her parents tragically lost their lives in the Ishvalan Extermination Campaign.

During the ceremony Ed held Winry's hand tight and she held his hand even tighter in return. To his surprise his wife had cried little when the graveyard workers started to cover the casket with the freshly dug earth, however, she was clinging onto his jacket seeking comfort from him. The ex-alchemist moved his gaze from Winry to Alphonse. The younger Elric was standing to his right while clenching onto his umbrella. Ed could see a kind of coldness reflected on his eyes as he stared at the casket being buried. That cold stare for some reason made him uneasy. Something was definitely going on with his little brother and it wasn't just about Pinako's death. He just couldn't pinpoint what it was though since Al has been much harder to read after he got his original body back. He needed to find out what was really happening with his little brother and nothing was going to get in the way of their long-awaited talk.

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A/N: Yes, not exciting. Is a wake/funeral, can't do much here. This is why it took me so long to write (besides my hesitation to write as I had to assist to one a few months back —traumatic to say the least). Well I've once again got the ball rolling! XD

Also where I live, funeral homes do serve coffee with cake to all who go to a wake. Don't know if this is happens in your country.

Thanks for your reviews! Thanks for favoring, alerting this story!


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: New chappie fresh out of the fanfic oven! Hopefully you guys will not be grossed out by a section written in this chapter. It is there for a reason and not because of a whim. Remember Al is pretty messed up already.

Jake you're my girl! Thanks for all the help XD

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**WARNINGS/DISCLAIMER FOR THIS STORY ARE POSTED ON CHAPTER 1, I SINCERELY RECOMMEND THAT YOU READ THEM BEFORE READING ANY CHAPTER OF THIS STORY. THE FOLLOWING STORY IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART.**

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THIS CHAPTER HAS NOT BEEN ALTERED. IT IS THE SAME IN BOTH MY ACCOUNTS.

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"First of all," Al said as he sat down on the old recliner that was right across from where Ed and Winry were sitting, "I want to apologize to you both for my rude behavior, especially to you Winry since I know how important Granny was in your life." The short-haired blonde leaned forward, placing the weight of his upper body on his elbows and thighs. "Winry," he said as he looked sternly at her, "I was only trying to protect you. I hope you can understand this and forgive my well-meant actions." An apologetic smile appeared on his face.

The young mechanic stared at the younger Elric for what seemed like a lifetime. She was still angry at him for being an ass, but she had secretly forgiven him. Ed told her in the privacy of their room that he had a short encounter with Al on the funeral home's restroom. His baby brother had explained to him that he was just looking out for Winry's best interests —Elric style, of course. Her blood was beginning to boil just by thinking about Ed and Al's excessive protection of their loved ones. When will these brothers ever learn that keeping secrets "just to safeguard" is plain stupid? "Ugh," she shook her head in frustration. "Al you're lucky that Ed interceded for you because if he hadn't done it I've would have had no choice but to 'force' the truth out of you." The mechanic explained as she sported a feral smirk, which made the younger Elric quiver in fear knowing very well that by "force" she meant a wrench to the head.

"So Al, what happened?" The ever protective older brother interjected before the object of Winry's persuasion was careened towards his little brother's head.

Alphonse shifted the weight of his body on the recliner and was now laying his back flat against the backrest of the chair. He knew that he was moving around a lot and that such action could be taken the wrong way, but he just couldn't really control it. Al felt very uncomfortable in his skin at the moment because he was going to tell a lie. By nature he was not a compulsive liar, in fact he hated lying, especially to his loved ones.

«But you're SO good at it, darling!»

The short-haired blonde remained unfazed by the homunculus taunting, making him realize that he had also gotten really good at constructing facades. "There's really not much to say Brother," he said, after gathering his thoughts. "The morning that Granny died, I went to the train station to pick up a package from Rush Valley that she was waiting for. I gave her the package when I got back then she told me she was tired and that she needed some rest."

"Hm. That's odd," Winry interjected as she shifted her eyes from Al to Ed then back to Al. "Granny doesn't take naps," she added.

"I know. I found it odd too so I decided to check up on her and that's when I found her lying unconscious on the floor in her room." Al's eyes became vacant as he replayed in his mind's eye the events that really transpired: the rage, the fear, the domination… the power… the adrenaline rush— No. He had to focus. He couldn't afford to screw up the fake story. The blonde gathered his thoughts and continued where he left off. "I… I checked her pulse but there was none."

The young couple remained silent as Al spoke. At one point Winry grabbed Ed's hand and gave it a small squeeze. Ed knew that this was Winry's way of dealing with difficult situations so he let her know he was there for her by gently caressing the hand that held his with the pad of his thumb. As he was comforting Winry, Ed noticed the same cold detachment appear in Al's eyes when he suddenly lost thread of his recount. It made him wonder if Granny's death had affected him more than he was leading on. Suddenly Edward felt sympathy for his little brother, after all he was all alone in the house when tragedy struck. Maybe detachment was his new way of coping with hard situations even though that wasn't the case when they were kids.

"Al," Winry said, breaking the awkward silence that had filled the living room, "Thank you for letting us know what had happened. It must have been hard on you to be thrown drastically into such a difficult situation." The mechanic stood up and headed to where Al was seating. She bent over and hugged the younger Elric with tenderness, an act that made the young man blush from such close contact. "I'm sorry for yelling at you the other day Al," she continued with her apology, "Grief was getting the best of me– I didn't even stop to think about what you've been out through."

Hook, line and sinker. The people most important in his life had believed all the half truths and lies that came out of his deceitful mouth. Alphonse felt disgusted with himself as Envy just chuckled away with utter delight. To add to his accursed existence, a migraine was starting to creep its way in, making the younger Elric feel really sick. He excused himself and went up to his room. Maybe a short nap would quell his migraine and maybe it could also quell that merciless self-loathing that tormented his despicable soul.

**oo-OOO-oo**

The sweet fragrance of peach blossoms suddenly invaded Alphonse's nose. He shifted around the bedding and felt the velvety caress of silk that wrapped his body. The young man fluttered his eyes open and pleasantly welcomed the lavish beauty that surrounded him. Al felt a soft hand gently combing his short golden locks. The delightful sensation sent shivers throughout his spine eliciting a soft moan. "Good morning, Your Majesty," the blonde said as he turned around, sitting cross-legged on the giant silk pillow. Ling was laying beside him with tousled hair and donning a golden robe. Al smiled with candor as he always thought that the sight of the newly appointed Xinguese emperor was breathtaking, but Ling didn't return the smile as he usually did. He looked sad. "What's wrong, Your Majesty?"

"My dear Golden Boy," Ling said with a sorrowful look, "Why are you crying?"

Crying? He was not— Al immediately felt the tears running down his cheeks. So he WAS crying, but what was he crying about? He remembered. He cried because he had lied to Ed, because he had lied to Winry. He had lied because he was a coward. Alphonse hid his face behind his hands while an uncontrollable sobbing took over his body. The Emperor moved around the pillow and was now sitting beside the Amestrian, tenderly wrapping his arms around the broad chest as he held Al in a warm embrace. The blonde bitterly cried in Ling's arms for what seemed like a lifetime. When he was done he looked at the young Xinguese man with reddened eyes. "I'm a monster Ling. I'm hurting all those who are around me. I've hurt Granny… I'm afraid of hurting somebody again."

"Shush, dear Al," Ling said as he gently pressed a long finger onto the blonde's lips. "You shouldn't feel guilty, my dearest. THEY have been monsters themselves because all this time you've been lied, deceived and corrupted by THEM! 'Them'… Who proclaim to love you."

Alphonse stiffened as he heard such jarring words.

"It's only fair that you do the same," Ling said as a vicious smirk twisted his face, "Equivalent Exchange. Don't you think, darling?"

Al's eyes widened in horror as he saw Ling's face shapeshift into Envy's.

**oo-OOO-oo**

The younger Elric sprang up on the bed. He looked around with wild eyes and realized that he had been in his room all along. It had just been a horrible nightmare, one that left a nasty taste in his mouth. He brought his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around his legs while resting his chin on his knees, his eyes looking off into the distance. The words "You've been lied to" mercilessly played over and over inside his head, making the pain of his migraine more intense. The blonde hesitated to get up from the bed but once he did he went straight to the mirror. He kept looking intensely at his reflection just as he once did in a hospital hallway back when he was encased in armor, remembering well Barry's venomous words.

«Barry was partially right, you know.»

"JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Al roared. He was not going to give the homunculus another chance at messing up with his head however the disgusting nightmare and Envy's jarring words were already getting under his skin. Al felt the room was suddenly encroaching on itself, suffocating him. He decided that a walk outside might make him feel better.

As Al walked out of his room his heart skipped a beat when he saw that the door to Granny's room was wide open. Panic took over his body as he headed towards the recently deceased room.

Winry hadn't dare to go into Granny's room since she got back from Central but there she was standing in front of the ill-fated room holding the doorknob tight with her right hand, fidgeting to enter. As silly as it was, she still feared what she could encounter inside that room but Alphonse had dispelled most of her wild speculations when he spoke about her grandmother's death. Swallowing hard, the blonde turned the knob and entered the room.

To her surprise the room looked exactly as it had been since she can ever remember. The bed was undisturbed meaning that Granny never got to rest on it. Winry walked to the vanity table and picked up a picture frame with a picture that was taken on her wedding day. Pinako was kissing her forehead, blessing her granddaughter as she embarked into the next phase of her life. The mechanic put the picture frame back where it was then wiped away some rogue tears from her eyes. She turned around and looked at the wooden floor wondering where exactly Al had found Pinako's body. As she looked at the wooden surface, her eyes picked on a tiny indentation in the floor's surface. She moved closer and kneeled in front of the tiny hole. The indentation had a peculiar diamond shape and it was no longer than the width of one of her fingernails. It also looked somewhat deep. Winry looked to her right and saw another one of those indentations but this one wasn't as deep as the first one. It looked like someone had deliberately lodged something on to the wooden floor. The blonde got up to see the indentations from the distance and was shocked to find three other indentations nearby. What was strange about the whole thing was that the indentations were positioned about two feet apart of each other, and when connected, they created a circle. What does a shape like that had to do inside Granny's room. Did she had some sort of device with five legs placed inside the room? —but what kind of device would leave that type of markings?

Winry became startled when she saw a pale-faced Alphonse step into the room. He looked terrible and his eyes were wide with shock… or was it panic? "Al? Are you alright?"

Alphonse cursed under his breath. He had actually missed something in his elaborate coverup —the fucking indentations made by the kunai. He was starting to panic about the unsavory discovery. The blonde stared at Winry's concerned face but he couldn't make out what she was saying as the damn drumming in his ears was too loud for him to hear even his heavy panting. Shit! Everything was getting enveloped in white light.

"Alphonse!" Winry screamed when the younger Elric plummeted into the floor. She rushed to his side and flipped him over. To her horror the short-haired blonde began convulsing while his eyes rolled to the back of his head. The medic in her quickly concluded that her brother-in-law was having a seizure so she hovered around positioned herself at the top of his head. She placed his head between her bent arms to minimize any head injuries that could happen from all the thrashing. "Edward!" Winry screamed once she had Al stabilized. "EDWARD!"

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A/N: Well Al, the jig is up…

One more thing, I'm not going to go further into Al's past relationship with Ling.

Thanks for all the reviews, faves and alerts!


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Another update! Yes I want to get to the meat of this story already. It's not going to be until chapter 11 that things will start turning around —again. Eleven chapters of backstory? Um, yes. This is going to be a long one indeed… but I warrantee you that it will not be dull. Any who, I hope you guys were not so turned off by the previous chapter. Please bear in mind that Envy —androgynous Envy— is stuck within Al and he's pulling strings here and there on a very confused and emotionally fragile young man. *hint, hint*

**Again Jaclyn, thanks a bunch!**

Please enjoy!

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Alphonse slowly fluttered his eyes open while at the same time the intense sunlight flooded his golden eyes. At first he didn't recognize where he was but as the minutes passed he noticed that he was back in his room. The blonde looked looked around and saw that Winry was at sitting on his desk chair with her head resting on the desktop. The mechanic quickly lifted her head when she heard ruffling. Concern appeared on her face but was quickly replaced by relief. "Ed!" He heard her shout out then she got up and walked towards his bed, sitting gently on the border, just a few inches away from him. "How are you feeling, Al?" There was a motherly tone on her words.

Feeling? He did not comprehend why she was asking such a thing. Al looked to the door as his older brother suddenly popped in. His face expressed a sight of relief that quickly turned to anger. Puzzled by Ed and Winry's strange behavior, Alphonse did a mental check to connect such behavior to a given situation but he came out with nothing. Ed was now standing on the foot of the bed wearing a reprimanding scowl and that was when he remembered what had transpired. Shit. Another blackout. Panic gripped at him again as Ed or Winry could have checked his body for injuries thus discovering the marking on his left thigh. Instinctively he started to pad around his legs and realized he still had his jeans on, just his shoes were missing. A sight of relief escaped his lips but was rapidly erased as he noticed Edward's stern look.

The short-haired blonde moved to a sitting position on the bed and returned Ed's stern look with one of his own. "How long was I out?" The younger Elric asked, realizing that there was no point in hiding his condition any longer.

Ed was taken aback by his little brother's brash words. "So how long has this been going on Al?" He countered as it was clear that Al was fully aware of what was happening to him had been keeping it a secret for God knows how long. Winry looked at his husband with confusion written on her face but decided to remain silent.

"About two years— After I got my original body back," Al responded in a defensive manner.

Ed's eyes grew as big as saucers. The anger towards his younger sibling was completely replaced by what looked like dread. Did something go wrong when he retrieved Al's body from the Gate? Wasn't his own gate sufficient toll to get his little brother out without any further consequences? The long-haired blonde clenched his trembling fists and hid his eyes behind his bangs as guilt ravaged his mind by showing him all the things that could have gone horribly wrong when he got Alphonse's body back.

"Brother, this is not your fault," Al said as if he was reading his older brother's mind.

"—but Al!"

"It's ok really. It doesn't bother me. The blackouts don't happen often… it only happens if I get stressed out," Al replied with a false grin, "Look I'm fine now so let's just leave it a that, ok?"

"To hell that we're letting this pass, Al!" Winry interjected. "It looks like YOU could be suffering from epilepsy you moron! So first thing tomorrow morning we'll going to take you to the clinic and have you checked out."

"But—"

"NO BUTTS!"

Al flinched away from Winry's menacing tone and just nodded in agreement.

"Hm! That's more like it." She said with her nose sticking up high in the air. Then she turned her attention to Ed who told her with his eyes that he wanted to speak with Al alone. The mechanic got up from the bed and left the room, gently closing the door behind her.

Edward now occupied the space that Winry just left and sucker punched Al in the arm.

"Ow! What the hell Ed!" A startled younger brother spat to the eldest but Ed just punched him again. "—just cut it out already!"

"The first one was for scaring the bejesus out of Winry and me and the second one was because you're an asshole for keeping something as serious as this a secret!"

"Jeez Brother!" The short-haired blonde said as he rubbed his sore arm. "It's not like I hid it to spite you or Winry," he frowned, feeling quite irritated with Ed's overbearing nature, "I had my reasons and that's all you need to know." He added in an arrogant tone.

The elder Elric was left speechless with Al's sudden abrasive attitude. Ed opened his mouth as to say something but closed it back. He just didn't know what to say or think of it.

"What?" Al asked in a surly tone.

"This is not like you at all…" Ed finally said, so low that it almost sounded like a whisper.

«Of course 'Dear Brother' will feel that way. He ALWAYS has to be the one in control. What a selfish bastard!»

Alphonse gritted his teeth as Envy's inflammatory words scathed him. The stupid parasite was right and he hated himself for admitting it.

"Al, are you sure you're ok?" Ed asked with worry as Al was spacing out again.

The younger Elric snarled at the older. "What is it 'not like me', Brother? The fact that I'm not as submissive as before? The fact that I don't let you toss me around like a rag doll? Tell me which one is it Ed!" Alphonse was bearing his teeth by the end of his last sentence.

Edward couldn't believe the emotional outburst that he was witnessing from his sweet little brother. Maybe Al was seriously ill after all. His heart saddened. "I guess you're right Al. I should treat you with more respect. It's just that I'm worried— What if I messed up when I brought you back from the Gate?"

«There he goes again. Trying to make this about him —and being condescending while at it.»

Al had his head clenched between his hands, shutting his eyes closed, and wishing with all his might that the odious homunculus would just shut up. He swatted Ed's hand when he felt it grasping at his shoulder. "Just go Ed," he said in a curtly tone.

Edward just looked at him with deep hurt written in his eyes but decided to respect his younger brother's feelings and left the room.

Al punched the pillow immediately after Ed left his room. He felt like he was losing it and losing it fast. He laid back on the bed after he exhausted the little energy he had. He pondered upon Winry's words while he kept looking at the cracked white ceiling that draped over him. Could he really be suffering from epilepsy? That could easily explain the blackouts, the headaches and the emotional outbursts, but, what about Envy? He could indeed hear the homunculus' incessant yapping inside his head, unless… Unless he was going crazy. The blonde grimaced at the bare thought. He rolled back up on the bed and placed his hands on his knees. He couldn't be crazy. There was an ouroboros mark on his left thigh, exactly where Envy had his… However doubt once again had already taken over his fragile emotional state. Al got up and walked to the mirror after locking the door to his room. He unzipped his jeans and dropped them to his ankles and began contemplating the homunculus marking for the umpteenth time. Just as the last time he checked, he confirmed once again that it wasn't a tattoo inked on his pale skin but skin pigmentation that made up the tail-swallowing snake. Relieved, he put his pants back on. He heard Envy snickering when he was zipping up his pants, making him groan with utter frustration.

«'Little Alphonse' is happy to confirm that is not losing his marbles— yet.»

Al remained silent, trying his best to ignore the pompous homunculus while he finished buttoning his pants.

«You know, Pipsqueak might think otherwise… He's probably already making plans to play hero all over again —Ooh! I bet he's also planning to take all the credit for it too! After all that's what he does best, doesn't he?»

"Brother is not like that…" He whispered when he bent down to grab his shoes from the side of the bed.

«—And yet you sound so unsure. Tell me Al, didn't 'The Shrimp' make getting your body back his whole reason for living?»

"WE swore to get OUR bodies back you idiot!" The blonde growled as he directed the angry thought at Envy.

«Then can you explain to me why the hell he still has an automail leg?»

Al's brows knitted together as didn't like the direction that Envy's conversation was taking. "Stop sullying Brother's name. It won't work, got it parasite?"

«You know I speak the truth… After all I know you better than you think I do.»

"I don't care if you do!" Al yelled. "Just leave me the fuck alone!"

«Heh. Fine darling. I won't bother you anymore. You see, I don't need to, because eventually you'll see it as I see it.»

"In your dreams, Envy!" Al retorted in thought.

«Probably IN yours.»

The younger Elric grimaced in disgust —while the homunculus basked in delight— as fleeting images of the sabotaged dream about Ling flooded his already fragile mind.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Winry was rummaging through the fridge for ingredients to use in tonight's dinner when she heard the mismatched stride of Edward heading her way. "Hey Ed. How did it go with Al?" Winry asked her husband who just passed by her —completely ignoring her— as he headed to the liquor cabinet.

The long-haired blonde opened the cabinet and grabbed Granny's old scotch from the top shelf with one hand while he grabbed a whiskey glass with the other hand. He brought the liquor and the glass to the breakfast table and clumsily poured himself two fingers of the strong liquid, splashing some of the alcohol on the table top. He lifted the whiskey glass and washed the scotch down in three gulps, hissing as the distilled spirit slowly burned his throat on its way down to his stomach.

"That bad huh?" Winry said as she laid a hand upon Ed's shoulder.

"I just don't know what's going on with him, Win… It's like he's a stranger— Dammit!" Ed slammed the glass hard against the table top, almost breaking it in the process.

"Easy now Ed," Winry said as she took the whiskey glass away from her husband's trembling hand then moved around him and sat on the other side of the table so she could have a one-on-one with her husband. "You know, it's not uncommon for people who suffer from epilepsy to have mood swings after they had a seizure."

"This is all my fault," Ed said as he kept his eyes fixed on the wooden table, "I probably screwed something up when I was retrieving Al from the Gate… Now he's physically suffering for it and I can't do anything about it— He probably hates me for it too…" The ex-alchemist's face became contorted with a rueful smile. "I wouldn't blame him though…"

"WILL YOU LISTEN TO YOURSELF?" Winry effectively stopping his self-pity party. "You don't know that for sure! For all we know he could have had that condition since he was born." Winry's right eyebrow twitched with anger as she finished the reprimand.

Edward was now looking at her, a slight scowl appeared on his face. "But—"

"Stop it Ed," Winry interjected again but now using a sad tone, "Just wait until the doctor sees Al and gives his diagnosis." The mechanic reached across the table and entwined Ed's hands with hers. "Please Ed… Don't be so hard on yourself." Her eyes were glassy. "Al will be ok."

The long-haired blonde looked away as it hurt him to see Winry looking so sad. He knew that his wife was right but his guilt was a lousy companion. He smiled at her as he let go of her hands. "I love you Win," he said with tenderness and stood up. He exited the kitchen, heading straight to the front door. "I'm going to the Renbak's." He thought that the walk might do him some good.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Alphonse found a very peculiar scene when he entered the kitchen area. He saw a very pissed off Winry, an used whiskey glass and a bottle of scotch at the breakfast table. "Um, where's—"

"You're an idiot!" Winry yelled, cutting the short-haired blonde mid sentence.

Al looked at his sister-in-law with surprise but quickly lowered his gaze knowing very well the reason for Winry's outburst. "I know," he admitted, "I don't know what's gotten into me…"

Winry pursed her lips. She felt sorry for what Al was going through but that didn't give him the right to step on his loved ones, especially if they're trying to help him get better. "Ed went out not long ago. He told me when we woke up this morning that he needed to go to the Renbak's. If you're lucky you can find him over there."

Alphonse looked at her with worry. If Winry had insisted on looking for Ed it meant that he was more hurt than he initially thought of.

"What are you waiting for Al? MOVE!" She yelled as she stood up from the chair pointing at the direction of front door.

"Y-yes!" He quickly answered as he rushed out of the kitchen and headed straight for the front door.

The mechanic huffed when she let herself drop down on the chair. "Ugh! It feels like déjà vu all over again…" She muttered as she remembered that time she had to "encourage" Al to go after his older brother, back when he completely misunderstood Ed's intentions towards him. "Idiot," she added as she played with the label of the whiskey bottle.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Edward stopped on his tracks when he spotted his little brother's figure far away on the dirt road. He was coming his way and that meant only one thing, that Winry sent Al to find him. "What a meddlesome woman," he mumbled, yet the thought of his wife's love for them and their well-being, made him smile with pride for her. The long-haired blonde decided to wait in place and let Al walk all the way to where he was standing.

"You know you could have walked towards me, Brother," the younger Elric said with irritation.

So Al was still being an ass… Ed knew that an ordinary approach wasn't going to work on his stubborn brother but a whooping might open up the lines of communication. He lunged forward swinging a sidekick at Al. The kick almost connected with the left side of his little brother's rib cage. The ex-alchemist maneuvered his body into a new position and was now throwing a right jab, left hook combo. He knew that he was being relentless with Al but it was the only way he could prove to his cocky little brother that he was not as well as he said he was.

"What gives, Brother? Stop it!" The younger Elric yelled. He could only block the attack as he still felt weak from passing out hours before.

Edward kept moving forward with the unrelenting assault, punching and kicking until Al lost his balance and fell to the ground hard. Ed walked next to his younger brother. "I thought you said you were 'fine'." He said in a sarcastic tone as he lend Al a hand.

"You really are an ass, Ed!" The younger Elric said to the elder as he was helped into a standing position.

"Not more than you are," Ed replied with a grin, proving his point.

Alphonse chuckled. "Yeah, I guess I am…" If Ed was grinning it meant that he had already forgiven him. He felt relieved. "I'm really sorry for what happened earlier."

"I guess I deserved it. I should have respected your feelings and I didn't."

"I shouldn't have snapped at you the way I did…" Al said as he thought about Envy's inflammatory words against his brother.

"It's already forgiven little bro." Ed replied as he ruffled Al's hair. "Now let's head back home. I'm going need your help with Winry."

"Why?"

"Because I found a suitable home for Den."

Alphonse stiffened when he heard the mutt's name. "May I ask why?"

"We couldn't find an apartment in Central that allowed large pets, besides Den is used to vast green lands and she'll get depressed if she's confined between four brick walls."

"Makes sense," Al replied, relieved that his big brother hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary in relation to Den.

Ed nodded then his eyes looked vacant for a moment.

"Brother?"

"About our move… There is something I want to ask of you— But we can talk about it later."

"O-kay," Al replied, wondering what Ed wanted from him.

* * *

A/N 1: I have done research on multiple subjects like epilepsy. However I'm taking a loose approach to certain topics and this makes some things not as accurate as they could be. I want to keep the story as fictitious as possible because I will approach very fucked up subject(s) in later chapters. Also probably by now you all have noticed that Al's character in my story is really Envy!Al. Yup. It's like Greeling but not quite like Greeling. Stick around and you'll see what I mean by this. ;)

A/N 2: BTW I took the idea of Granny's scotch from **jaclynkaileigh's _Communication of Souls_**. It's a really great story. You should read it! Also take a look at _**Absence of Souls**_ by the same author. It's fresh, original and sassy. Heck, check her profile page! All her stories are great and awesome!

Thanks for the reviews girls! I do take your reviews to heart just you know. Also thanks to all who do read this story. XD


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: So the backstory is reaching its end and the next chapter is a transition from the backstory to the main content of the story. Thank you for all your comments and PM's about the story. It has helped me tweak it better and also make more clear the direction that I want to take with this story... and by popular demand I will raise the emotional/psychological impact in the story.

**Thanks Jaclyn for everything. XD**

* * *

"Alphonse Elric!" The apathetic nurse yelled out loud from her receptionist's desk to the people sitting in the waiting area of the small town clinic. Al stood up and quickly felt a tug on his gray sport jacket. He glanced over his right shoulder and saw Ed's wordless plea to let him accompany him into the examination room. He sighed and closed his eyes full with irritation because Mother-hen Ed was being overly-protective of him —again. Right then he decided to cut his brother some slack. Al turned around with an open hand and curling his lips upwards telling him "Sure, tag along," with the open gesture. Edward didn't waste a moment and took Al's hand and stood up from the stiff-looking chair, following his little brother to the examination room.

Al wasn't surprised when the doctor asked him to strip down to his underwear so he could conduct a proper physical, in fact he was more than prepared for it. He purposely wore boxers with a longer pant leg so it covered the area of the ouroboros marking on his left thigh and just in case he also wrapped his thigh with a silk band. If the doctor asked he would just say that it was just a special Xinguese wrapping for balancing chi and due to training he was not permitted to take it off.

The doctor went through all the proper tests and didn't find anything out of the ordinary. He proclaimed that Al was in good physical health —to Ed's surprise— and that he couldn't really explain why the short-haired blonde was having fainting spells of the kind that were previously described to him.

"Isn't there any other kind of testing you can do on him doctor?" Ed blurted out without thinking it twice, paying tribute to his over-bearing nature as the older sibling that he was.

The doctor retorted to Ed that he was only a small town doctor and that if he wanted a second —better— opinion he should take his younger brother to see the big city doctors over at Central. He explained that a neurology specialist could order expensive X-rays to determine if there was something more than a well-performed physical test couldn't find. The doctor's arrogant answer didn't seat well with Ed.

"We understand sir. I'll make sure to contact a neurologist the next time I'm in Central. Thank you so much for all your help!" Al said in his cordial tone as he finished buttoning up his white dress shirt. He looked to Ed who was about to blurt some caustic words at the poor man and stopped him on his tracks with a "Don't you dare Ed!" glare. He grabbed his older brother by a hand and dragged him out of the exam room and out of the doctor's office but not before kindly bidding farewell to everyone in the waiting room.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Edward kept drumming at the table while patiently waiting for his younger brother to take a zip of his coffee. The younger Elric tediously sat down his coffee cup as he lifted his gaze to meet Ed's.

"What is it now Ed?" He ground the words between clenched teeth, olive eyes piercing through the older brother's stubborn facade.

"Nothing." He said almost pouting and kept drumming away.

Al stopped Ed's incessant drumming when he leaned over the table grabbed Ed's hand as he looked at him with concern written all over his face.

"I know you better than that Brother."

Edward knitted his eyebrows together when Al interrupted him. He removed his hand from its hold and the younger Elric sat back on his chair queuing Ed with his eyes to speak up about what was bothering him. Ed fidgeted for a few seconds while looking at the bottom of his empty coffee cup. "It's just… I think the doctor didn't even made an effort to help you." He then picked up the cold, half eaten donut that sat in the small white ceramic plate in front of him and tore a huge chunk away from it,

"Fucking doctor…" He mumbled with his mouth full.

"Manners, Ed!" Al scolded as he banged his hands on the cafe table, "How many fucking times do I have to say this to you!"

The elder Elric stopped chewing and slowly swallowed the mashed lump down not taking his reprimanding golden eyes away from his younger brother. Al was swearing so easily… how unlike him… he added another bullet point to his list of worries about his younger brother. Ed raised an eyebrow in disapproval.

"Since when you decided to talk like a goddamn sailor?"

His question really sounded more like worry than scolding.

Al looked away momentarily. Ed was right, he was not the swearing type… it was all that fucking Sin's fault. He flinched when caught himself mentally swearing and apparently he did it in such an obvious way that Ed must have notice it too as face was now contorted with sadness. He was angry with himself for his carelessness. Al drew a deep scowl on his face before deciding to answer his older brother's question,

"What if this is the real me, Brother?" His sincere answer felt more like self-realization than an actual answer.

Ed just stared at Al with wide eyes as his sadness now morphed into a dull sorrow. How can Al say something so disconcerting about himself? It was that type of behavior that convinced him there was something strange going in with his little brother… but how could he express this concern to Al without pushing his buttons? The last time he voiced his concern to Al he had lashed out at him with such fury that it still hurt him deeply just by thinking of it. He did not want to take the same mistake again.

"You know… it's not so horrible as it might look from the outside," the short-haired blonde spoke as if he knew what Ed was thinking about. "Losing control like that is scary, but I'm getting used to… IT." He finished his words with a rueful smile as images of Envy popped into his mind… Envy…

"In the doctor's office you said that you were going to see a neurologist the next time you were in Central, is this correct?" Ed pointed out, wanting to change the heavy mood that was slowly encircling them.

"Yes, that's correct Ed." Alphonse answered with a perplexed look when he saw that Ed's sorrowful face changed back to his usual jovial grin.

"Then you're in luck little brother because you're going to Central pretty soon!"

Al didn't follow.

"Remember that I needed to talk to you about something?" He said, pointing at him with the remnant piece of the cold doughnut.

"Yeah?" The younger Elric replied with a raised brow.

"I need you to help Winry to get acclimated in Central as I won't be able to do it because of Officer's School."

Alphonse was shocked. "Um… I thought you both were going to do that together whenever you got back from training."

"That was the initial plan but…" Ed said as he glanced at the shiny surface of the cafe table, "Then Pinako passed away."

Oh. Granny's "untimely" death… a death caused by his own hands. Why did it feel like a distant memory? He knitted his brows together. Had he so easily accepted his role as a cold and calculating killer?

"Al are you ok?" Ed said as he prevented Al's trembling hands from spilling the contents of his coffee cup all over the table.

"Y-yeah…" He answered as he regained his composure. He mentally reminded —more like scolded himself— to keep his emotions on check all times as to not set off more alarms.

This time Edward left Al's strange behavior pass. Maybe the younger Elric just didn't want to be reminded of the death of the woman they happily called grandmother. He picked up the conversation where he left it off,

"I don't want Winry to stay in a place that will just bring her sad memories."

"It seems logical." Al said as he detached himself from the barrage of mental images about the old hag during her final moments.

"Besides I don't want her to be all by herself in the big city when she is still so vulnerable from all the grieving." Ed said with a ominous undertone.

Living together with Winry… He was planning to upon traveling to Creta soon after Ed's departure but the prospect of being close to Winry for a while… Just thinking about it made him strangely happy.

"Quit spacing out!" The long-haired blonde yelled, startling Al who immediately frowned upon such rude action. Ed chuckled from his brother's reaction,

"Anyway, you said that you would go to see a neurologist if you were in Central so you would really be killing two birds with one stone."

Did he really had to use the word "kill"? He sighed,

"Fine Brother. I was going to say 'yes' anyway. You know that you both mean the world to me and if helping that way makes you happy then it will also make me happy."

"—and you know what would make my day?" Ed said with a toothy grin.

Al huffed. He was getting really annoyed with Ed,

"—that I go to the specialist?" He scoffed.

"You got it!" The elder Elric said with a hearty laugh as he stood up, "Let's go Al. Winry is waiting for us."

"Sure Ed." He said as he watched his older brother place a couple of bills under his coffee cup while at the same time he thought of the woman who secretly brought a smile to his face.

**oo-OOO-oo**

"Here you go Mr. White," Winry said with a kind smile as she offered the middle-aged man a cup of warm tea. She moved around the coffee table and sat on the big sofa that was right across from were the pasty-looking man sat.

Mr. White took a quick sip of his tea and placed the cup down on the table. He placed his suitcase on his lap and snapped it open. The man cleared his throat as he pulled a manila folder out. He handed the folder to Winry and waited for a few minutes as the blonde browsed through the contents of the folder. Her eyes widened with surprise,

"A will?"

"That's correct Mrs. Rockbell— or is it Mrs. Elric?" The lawyer said in a phlegmatic tone.

"It's Elric, but I do use my maiden name for business," she answered nonchalantly as she kept browsing through the pages of the document.

"Very well Mrs. Elric. As you can see that is the late Pinako Rockbell's testament."

"I didn't even know that she had a lawyer…" The blonde trailed off.

"She had been my client for over ten years. I used to forge all of her release-from-liability contracts for her automail clients and one day she asked me if I also worked with testaments."

Winry smiled. Her late grandmother really had been an astute woman. "Always thinking ahead Granny." She said softly as grief took a hold of her heart.

"Well, yes. She was a tough woman too," replied the lawyer as he readjusted his glasses. "She will definitely be missed…" He added while his phlegmatic stance suddenly broke down as he remembered the tiny old woman.

There was an odd silence encompassing the living room that was suddenly shattered by the loud banging of the front door and by the even louder voice of Edward yelling "I'm home!" to the four corners of the yellow house.

"Edward!" Winry reprimanded, "I'm so sorry Mr. White for my husband's lack of proper manners." She said as she nervously shifted her gaze from Ed and back to the lawyer.

Ed felt his cheeks flush. "I apologize for the sudden outburst Mr…"

"White. It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Elric." The man said with a forced smile. "I'm glad that you're here as this also con—"

"Hey Ed! Couldn't you just waited for me? Honestly— Um hello there," Al said as he eased in his initial outburst when he noticed Ed's grin, Winry's irritation and the visitor's scowling face. He combed his hair back while hiding his embarrassment and slowly walked to stand next to his older brother. "My apologies. I didn't know we had company." His cheeks had a fierce red hue by the time he finished those words.

"You must be the other Elric." The middle-aged lawyer said in a tone that expressed annoyance. "I guess this sudden disturbance couldn't have come in on a better time."

The brothers looked at each other then at Winry wondering who that man was and what was the purpose of his visit.

"I'm Mr. White, I'm the late Pinako Rockbell's lawyer," the phlegmatic man said to the Elrics who were as surprised as Winry was when the man introduced himself the first time around,

"As I was trying to explain to Mr. Elric here…" The man cleared his throat once again, "It was a good thing that he was here because Pinako also mentions both of you brothers in her will."

"Will?" Ed and Al said in unison, while the latter felt his heart skip a beat or two.

"Yes, she left a testament which I was about to discuss with Mrs. Elric before… the rambunctious interruption." He replied with an indifferent tone.

The brothers became silent as they soaked in the lawyer's words. After a short pause, the younger Elric poked the elder and eyed him to sit down. Edward nodded and sat next to Winry while Al sat on the recliner.

Mr. White cleared his throat for a third time that afternoon as he waited for the contents of the folder be read by each surviving party of what the late Pinako's family circle. Alphonse was the last to browse through the testament and stood up when he finished, handing back the folder to the haughty man. Mr. White paged through the bound pages just stopping a page shy of reaching the end of the document. He glanced to confirm that the short-haired blonde had sat back on his chair before he continued speaking where he left off,

"As you all can see the late Pinako Rockbell left in her testament all monies, properties and assets to the three of you, with Mrs. Elric —the only direct surviving family member— receiving the largest portion of the inheritance." The lawyer calmly closed the folder and placed it back inside his leather suitcase. He took a business card from his front pocket and handed it to Winry,

"I need you all to come over to my office on Wednesday morning to finish the legalization of the transference according to the items written in this testament."

The man stood up and shook everyone's hand before letting himself out of the door, leaving the three of them surrounded by a deafening silence.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Alphonse found himself again looking up to the starry skies for some sort of respite. Discovering that the old hag had actually set some money apart for him to have at her time of death had really stirred some dormant emotions deep within his core. That unpleasant feeling of guilt was rearing its ugly head once again, pestering, priming his heart to be filled with regret. But what good would regret do for him? It wasn't powerful enough to make him confess of his crime. He had knitted an intricate web of deceit that was not easy to get untangled from. He looked at the dirt patch that he was standing on and clenched his fists,

"Dammit," he muttered.

Why did she had to go and do something like that? That small inheritance left a nasty taste his mouth. He wanted to turn that money down but if he did then he would raise questions and he already was under tight scrutiny from both Ed and Winry. However the still untainted part of him wanted to honor Pinako somehow… maybe he could put the money to good use. He could open a small clinic over at Central that specializes in medical treatments based on alkahestry. Even though he didn't finish his training with Mei he did have enough knowledge and practice to handle simple aches and pains. He smiled at the thought. He went further and thought he could enroll at the university and fully specialize in medicine to compliment his alkahestry.

"Oh there you are!"

Edward suddenly appeared to his right flank which startled the short-haired blonde,

"Jeez Ed! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" He said as he combed his hair backwards out of reflex.

"Sorry little bro," Ed replied with a sheepish grin, "So what has you in such a happy mood? —Perhaps thinking about a certain someone?" The long-hated blonde added as he elbowed Al.

"I wasn't thinking of Mei!" He scoffed but quickly changed his tone as he didn't want to worry Ed. "I was thinking about opening an alkahestry clinic in Central with Granny's inheritance."

Ed blinked with astonishment. "Wow Al. You sure don't waste time." His words drew a nasty glare from his younger brother, making him realize that he had worded his comment in a wrong way,

"Sorry Al. What I tried to say was that I'm impressed that you want to put the old hag's money to good use."

Alphonse eased his facial features and looked at his older brother with a longing stare. "Yeah… I want to honor her memory by committing myself to healing people in anyway I can." He answered with outmost sincerity.

"Well that's mighty honorable of you, Al. Heh, I'm not surprised at all with your idea because you always put people's best interest ahead of your own." Edward replied with brotherly pride unknowingly that he was making his younger brother feel quite rotten with his well-intentioned words.

"I guess…" He answered while hiding his guilt-ridden eyes away from Ed, "Anyway, was there something you wanted from me?"

"Naw. I just wanted to check up on you… that's all."

Al frowned. "I don't need a babysitter Ed." He said with a caustic tone attached to his words.

Ed chuckled. "Sorry Al… it's a hard to break the habit." The long-haired blonde stretched his back and also gazed at the stars. "You know…" He said after a few minutes had passed by, "Do you think I'll do alright? With the Officer' school and everything else?"

Al looked at his brother with utmost curiosity, "Why are you being so insecure all of a sudden? That doesn't suit you well Brother."

Edward looked into his brother's stern gaze. "I guess it's because it was Hughes's job. I just… don't know if I can fill that man's shoes." He finished his words with a rueful smile.

Alphonse turned completely to face Ed. "Of course you can Ed," he answered with the warmest smile, making the older brother blush from such gesture. He walked around him and padded Ed in the back, hard.

"Let's go inside. I don't want the missus blaming me for hoarding you."

"Very funny Al!" Ed yelled with irritation before following his younger brother inside the Rockbell home.

**oo-OOO-oo**

The train whistle could be heard at the distance on that foggy morning. It was that time of the year were the weather was transitioning to the warmer season, making the mornings extra cold and evenings extra humid.

"Ugh…" Edward huffed between clenched teeth.

"It's hurting, isn't it?" Winry said with sympathy.

"Mm. Damn weather…" Ed grumbled as an answer.

"Well at least it'll be warmer were you will be going." Al added which in turn made him gain a glare from his older brother.

"I guess…" He said while thinking about the last time he was in Southern Command. Glimpses of the Devil's Nest and the homunculus who would have told him everything he needed to know about the Philosopher's Stone swarmed his mind. The second whistle snapped him from his current train of thought. He looked towards the distance and could see the faint headlight of the locomotive fast approaching the Resembool station. His brows knitted and a deep scowl crossed his face. "It's only six months," he mumbled softly, "Winry is in fine hands…" He said, trying to ease his aching heart. "I'll be just like old times… except…"

The train made a loud screeching halt on the platform. The vapor blast danced with the condensed air that surrounded the station making everyone around feel the sudden change from cold to warm within seconds. Ed pulled his wool coat closer to his body as he didn't want the sudden change in temperature to give him the comfort of a nice cold. He glanced at his wife and brother who were also shielding themselves from the vapor blast. Ed could see that the passengers were already walking inside the wagons. He sighed then turned around. He looked at Winry who looked at him with sadness even though she tried to conceal it with a loving smile. "Gotta go Win…"

"I know Ed." Her loving smile had shrunk to a less wider version of its original. "Like old times, huh?" She added in a low voice.

"I'll be back in no time. I promise." He said as he leaned down and planted a chaste kiss on her cold lips. "Besides I'm leaving you in good hands, isn't that right Al?" Ed added as he winked at his brother who turned red from being put so suddenly in the spotlight.

"That's right Brother," Al said once he recovered from the embarrassing moment. His golden olive eyes looked at Winry filled with emotion,

"I will take good care you Winry. You can count on it."

**oo-OOO-oo**

Besides the station workers, it was just him and Winry the only two people left on the station platform. He looked at the beautiful blonde that stood beside him. Winry kept her blue eyes fixed on the distant locomotive as it started to disappear into the rising sun. Al thought she looked radiant under the morning sun and that made him smile. He had promised Ed that he was going to take good care of Winry and that's a promise he was not going to break —however— a sense of worry slowly crawled its way into the back of his mind.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for all your reviews. They are the reason that keeps me going! Ciao!


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Thank you all for all the encouragement!

**Kudos to you Jaclyn for helping me out!**

* * *

"Hey Winry?" Al said as he glanced at the young woman that stood by his side. "Have you been to the Xinguese part of Central?" He added while pointing towards the two pillars that framed the entrance to Xinguese Town through Bradley street.

"Actually… yes." Winry replied as she looked with wide eyes at the elaborate snake-like dragons that entwined the pillars. "I came here with Ed the last time we were in Central but we didn't come in through this street."

"Oh… and how did you like it?"

"Well… it was interesting to say the least." Winry answered sheepishly.

"I was wondering if you want to have lunch with me at a restaurant here." The short-haired blonde offered while a barely noticeable pink hue painted his cheeks.

Winry grimaced. "No thanks. I-I just don't like exotic cuisine." She responded with disgust. Her rosy lips quivered as it did on that occasion when the kind Xinguese waitress described the not-so-palatable menu that included delicacies such pork brains and dog meat. She shuddered at the memory.

Al quickly noticed Winry's change in demeanor. "Let me guess. Ed took you to a restaurant for locals." He asked intuitively.

"The menu included dog, Al."

Winry's response made Al chuckle. "You know, dog is considered a delicacy in many parts of Xing." His response only made Winry more queasy than she already was.

"You-you—" The young woman asked horrified as thoughts of her childhood friend eating defenseless dogs rushed to her mind.

"Oh heavens no!" Al interjected. "I only kept thinking of Den."

Winry sighed with relief, "You know, that's exactly what I was thinking when I heard the word 'dog' included on the menu item." She added followed by laughter as she was feeling quite silly with the way the conversation was heading.

"I guess we do have a lot in common…" Al said, suddenly becoming quiet at the thought of such realization.

"I guess we do Al!" Winry concurred with a warm smile as she playfully punched the taller blonde in the arm.

"You know there's tons of places around here that serve Xinguese food that's catered to the Amestrian palate."

"Really?" She answered while tilting her head slightly to the right.

Al laughed. "Yes really. Do you want me to take you to one?"

The blonde mechanic thought about it for a moment. "S-sure!" She answered with another smile.

**oo-OOO-oo**

"So how was the lo-mein, Winry?"

"M— Delicious!" Winry answered with her mouth full, which elicited a hearty laugh from Al. "What?" She dragged the words with a tone of irritation to them right after hearing Al laugh at her.

"I guess Ed has really rubbed off you." He answered as he wiped away some tears from the corner of his eyes. Alphonse couldn't help to stare at the blonde sitting opposite from him with her cheeks as red as apples and her delicate mouth pouting back at him. Simply beautiful. A sweet smile spread across his face. Winry just kept staring at him, she just looked too cute for her own good. "Ed's a pretty lucky guy, Win." He blurted without thinking about the weight that those words really carried. He immediately noticed how Winry became slightly uncomfortable with his comment. "Oh! They have boba tea, excellent!" Al added while he desperately tried to change the subject. He heard a snigger come out from Winry. "What's so funny?"

"Ed. He tried boba tea." Winry answered.

"—but did he know that it has milk in it?" Al asked, following Winry's queue, catastrophe averted.

"Let's say he had one heck of a time in the restaurant's restroom after drinking thirty-two ounces of it."

The short-haired blonde looked horrified for just a second then he laughed-out-loud while he pictured his older brother hugging the porcelain throne. "Poor Brother…"

"Yeah…" She replied, thinking about her soul-mate with a tinge of melancholy… oh how she missed him.

"I'm still going to order one. Is that ok with you Winry?"

"—as long as you don't end up like Ed." Winry answered with a mischievous tone as she pushed away her longing to be reunited with her husband to the back of her mind.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Alphonse put down the book on horticulture, slid off his bed and stood in front of the window in his room. He looked down at the people walking in the street just as he stretched his back. At that moment Al realized it was quite dark for an autumn evening. He turned around and went to the makeshift table where he had four glass beakers each with a white rose in a different state of withering. His studies on horticulture had proven to be more than just a hobby. The experimentation on the life span of fresh-cut flowers has helped him fine-tune his connection to the dragon's pulse while exponentially developing his skills as an alkahestrist. Al knew that he needed to improve his skills if he was going to set a successful shop on the trendiest area of south Central known as SoCe, where the Amestrian society that emerged from the post-Bradley era had opened their doors to all sorts of international influences.

The money he received from Granny's will was enough to set shop in expensive SoCe but not enough to cover for the rental of a nice apartment. He would have to find a cheaper place to live in to compensate for paying two rents. This also translated into having to put on hold his desire to study at Central University because at the moment he would not be able to afford the high-cost of tuition required for a medical degree.

After Ed departed to Officer's school, Winry spent a few days deciding what to do with Granny's old place. She was undecided as to keep or sell the cozy old house but in the end she took the decision to keep the Rockbell home. She had explained to him that she really didn't want to part away with the house she grew up in. From that point on the old yellow house would serve as a vacation home for her and Ed— and for him if he ever wished to use it.

Once in Central, Alphonse wanted to get a place of his own immediately after he helped Winry with the purchase of new furnishings for Ed and Winry's three bedroom apartment located at midtown, however, Winry had insisted that he should stay with her for the time being. She tried to pin it to logic explaining to him that he would be saving tons of money if he had free food and boarding for the next six months but he knew —and Winry would never admit to it— that she just didn't want to be alone in that apartment. That conversation had taken place almost five months ago and now that he thought of it, it had been the best time he had since getting his original body back.

Alphonse picked up the freshest white rose from the beaker and looked at it in detail. He gently rubbed a petal between his thumb and index finger, taking in the delightful contrast from delicate nature of the skin of the petal against the ridges of his finger pads. He also took in with delight the snow-white beauty that the flower possessed just before bringing it close to his nose. He immediately thought of Winry as he closed his eyes, just before deeply inhaling the sensual aroma that the rose possessed. Winry… he opened his eyes out of a sudden and his eyebrows came together to form a frown. He pulled the rose away from his nose and placed it back on the beaker but not before grimacing back at it.

Alphonse closed his eyes again and sighed. He knew very well that he always had romantic feelings for Winry but he cast them aside once he noticed that she only had eyes for his older brother. However his feelings for the beautiful mechanic had come back with a vengeance and the close bond he had developed with her during the five months that he had been living with Winry were living proof of it. He'd never expected that they had so much in common, even less did he expect to get along so well with the blonde. That intimate connection was what probably Ed felt when he was with Winry. His brother really was a lucky guy… and the thought somehow made him angry. The blonde ran a hand across his short hair and sighed again. The room had suddenly become too stuffy and he just couldn't stand looking at the white roses anymore.

Splashing some icy cold water on his face helped him calm down. He looked up from the bottom of the sink and to the image of the young man reflected on the mirror. He scowled at him before stepping out of the bathroom. He then headed towards the kitchen to grab a glass with water.

After leaving the kitchen, Alphonse slowed his pace until he came to a full stop in front of the room where Winry slept. He squeezed the glass he carried on his right hand hard as he imagined how Winry laid peacefully asleep behind that door— Laid all alone in that huge bed…

«Oh for fuck's sake! Why don't you just go in there and fuck her already?»

Alphonse blanched as he hadn't heard that odious voice in months. His breathing became shallow as unrelenting waves of unpleasant memories inundated his senses. The shattering noise of broken glass and the piercing cold sensation of water touching his feet had finally snapped him out from his initial state of shock. He blinked a few times before looking down in disbelief at the mess of water and broken glass that laid spread around him. Al didn't even hear the door open let alone notice the startled woman that had appeared behind it. When he did finally noticed her presence all he saw was a mess of hair, wide blue eyes and a good portion of her rounded bosoms as the top of her night gown was disheveled. A sudden gush of heat traveled all over his body as he couldn't peel his olive eyes away from Winry's breasts. He also couldn't help the deep, dry swallow that followed. Winry noticed Al's reaction and quickly readjusted the top of her nightgown while a red hue ran all over her face.

"Are you ok Al?" She asked politely.

"Y-yes Winry…" It was all he could manage to say as his mouth had become dry too dry to speak.

Winry glanced at the mess that was spread in front of the young man's feet. "Let me help you here Al." She said as she started to kneel in front of him.

"No!" He yelled at her with wide eyes. "I mean don't worry— Just go back to sleep." He added in a lower voice.

Winry stared at him with a confused look on her face. The short-haired blonde took a step backwards when Winry extended her hand to touch his now shaky hands. It was then that the young woman understood that she was making the taller blonde rather uncomfortable with her presence so she decided to back off. She turned around and closed the door with a solid click as her mind became troubled with Al's reaction when he saw her.

Al let his breath escape out of his lungs once he heard the click of the door. He gritted his teeth as a rush of despair filled his heart. He mentally cursed at the Sin that ran rampant inside of his mind for deciding to make a sudden appearance after many months of peace and quiet— And happiness.

**oo-OOO-oo**

The blonde let himself drop on his bed after taking care of the mess he made in the hallway. He deeply sighed as he stared at the ceiling above him.

«I bet she would have had the time of her life! I mean all those months of pent up sexual energy… not to mention your own—»

"SHUT UP YOU FUCKING SHIT!" Al lashed out in frustration but Envy simply laughed. "Dammit why can't you just leave me the hell alone?" He added as his voiced became small.

Al shifted around his bed until he sat with his back flat to the wall that the bed was set against. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples as a very familiar migraine quietly began to unleash its crippling power upon his already distressed body. "Dammit… why now?" He muttered as he sank into self-pity.

«Because I was bored darling.»

The short-haired blonde could feel his blood boiling amongst the throbbing pain. He chastised himself for getting immersed in a state of utter complacency ever since the homunculus suddenly decided to become quiet. He should have known by now that the damn parasite was just waiting for a good moment to strike with his venomous fangs. He bent his knees so he could place his elbows on top of them as he leaned his aching head forward and placed it between his hands. The blonde could feel that he was becoming light-headed and his heart started beating faster as panic gained the upper hand. Was he going to have another seizure? Alphonse immediately started doing some deep breathing exercises in order to calm down his nerves while trying to prevent himself from falling victim to another attack. He felt better after a minute or two of performing the technique.

A few minutes passed before Al decided to try and get out of bed. He needed to grab from the medicine cabinet some pills for his migraine. He managed to stand up with no problems but he did wobble his way down the hall and into the bathroom.

He opened the medicine cabinet hastily and searched around for the small bottle with the pills but his eyes became fixed on a tinted bottle that looked like the ones Winry had in the supply cabinet for her automail patients. Al picked up the bottle and looked at the name written in the white label. It read "Edward Elric". The blonde figured that the bottle contained strong pain killers for when Ed had those awful phantom limb episodes. A needle-like throbbing now pierced him in the back of his right eye and he almost dropped the bottle from the sudden jolt of pain but he held on to it tight. He stared at the bottle for a few seconds after the pain subsided and decided to pop the cap open. He figured that knocking himself out with painkillers would probably shut the trap of that vile being and take care of his migraine headache all at once. He popped a pill into his mouth and washed it down with a mouthful of water from the running tap. Once back in his room, the short-haired blonde waited out for the pill to work its magic and help him achieve a peaceful sleep.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Alphonse fluttered his eyes open as cleared the fogginess from the drug-induced sleep when he suddenly become taut. He could feel the stickiness that stuck to his skin and to his underwear. He closed his eyes again and cursed under his breath, chastising himself remembering what had happened in his sleep even though it was something he didn't have any control of. His dream had been so vivid that he swore he could still feel the ghosting sensation of Winry's luscious mouth moaning onto his… and her velvety hot sex enveloping his— Envy's mocking laughter boomed inside his skull. "Shit!" He said between clenched teeth into the quiet room.

«So how good do you think it would be if you do that for real?»

"What?" Al spat in disbelief.

«Do you need me to spell it out for you?»

"I know what you meant! —And the answer is never you sick freak!"

«You're not fun, you know that. Don't you?»

A guttural growl emerged from deep within the short-haired blonde as his patience was reaching its limits. He got up with reluctance since the sticky mess was making him feel uncomfortable in his own skin… made him feel uncomfortable and dirty.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Alphonse immediately ended up deconstructing the vile piece of underwear when he locked himself inside the bathroom. He threw inside the trash can what was left of the offensive article of clothing but not before grimacing at the threads that he held in his hands. There was no way he was going to keep those underpants because they told the story of his most dirty little secret. The blonde stepped into the shower and scrubbed his skin raw. "Dammit!" He hissed underneath the falling water. His mind kept replaying his lustful dream over and over and over again… until he felt like his head was going to explode— "Just stop! Envy… just stop."

«I'm not doing anything, darling.»

Al closed his eyes shut and clenched his jaw tight out of frustration but the tears and the sobbing still broke through.

«It's ok darling. You're just being your depraved, lustful self.»

"—and what the fuck do you know!" He screamed at the Sin with his inside voice then laughed-out-loud at the insanity of it all.

«I know because I think what you think, feel what you feel…»

"Shut up…" Al said in horror, just realizing how deep his life was entwined with Envy's. The mere thought of it made him want to vomit. Envy shrieked with laughter.

«That's right! Thanks to you I've known the pleasures of the flesh, Allie boy, something that would have never happened if I wasn't stranded in here. Heh! Lust would be SO proud.»

Al's breath became shallower as he pictured Envy's vicious grin while he mercilessly taunted him. He was starting to feel the need to hurl so he turned off the shower head and got out of the tub as fast as he could then knelt in front of the toilet waiting for something to happen but nothing came out. After a few minutes passed by and he was sure he was not going to puke, the blonde dropped the weight of his body on his bent legs. Feelings of worry mixed with despair ran through his mind as he laid there naked, shivering on top of the puddle of water he left after getting out of the shower in a hurry.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Winry found the apartment enveloped in deafening silence when she finally made it out of her room. She peeked into the living room to see if Alphonse was in there before stepping into the kitchen, and from the look of it she was all alone in the apartment. The blonde was going to make some coffee but she noticed that it had already been prepared. Her mouth curled downwards when she noticed that the coffee pot was ice cold. She sighed as she picked up the pot from the burner and walked to the sink. She hated to pour down the drain a cup's worth of premium coffee but to drink stale, would only made her feel more cranky that she already felt.

She had waken up late —something she hated doing in the first place— simply because she couldn't fall back to sleep after the incident of the broken glass. It wasn't the loud noise of glass breaking that chased her sleep away, it had been Al and the way he kept looking at her that made her lose the night. She remembered vividly how the young man looked at her… and it was the flicker of his olives eyes that made her feel slightly uncomfortable. She could swear that she saw desire in them… she could even go as far as to think that a hint of lust was hidden in the penetrating gaze. Winry frowned a little as she poured into a mug some fresh-made coffee. She carried the mug to the dining table and pulled a chair for her to sit on. The blonde took a large sip of the dark substance then turned her full attention back to her previous train of thought.

Winry knew what she saw was real, but could her assumptions about it be wrong? Maybe she was being too paranoid and saw things that were not really there. She did come out of the room in a rush and didn't even bother to check if she was presentable before storming out of the door. Al blushed when he saw her deep cleavage and what man in their right mind would not blush under that type of circumstance? Now that she thought about it, there was a good probability that she misinterpreted his reaction when he saw her disheveled self. She took another sip when a dark thought occurred to her. What if… what if she was projecting her feelings? She knew very well that the five months she has been without Ed had really taken its toll. She missed him terribly —emotionally and sexually— and being around Al… sweet, affective, lovable Al— She quickly shook the silly thought out of her mind. She loved Al but only as a dear friend and she knew very well that her affection for him would only reach the limits of friendship because her heart belonged to Ed as it always had and it always would. The mechanic chuckled, feeling quite stupid for even thinking there was something out of the ordinary with Al's reaction in the first place.

"Occam's razor, Winry. Occam's razor…" Winry recited out loud then finish the chanting with a small laugh. She got up and brought her coffee mug with her. She went back to the kitchen and placed the mug on the counter then she started grabbing some pots and pans from the top cabinet. She'd decided to start cooking early and eat it later with Al when he came back from wherever he was.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Alphonse glanced at the address provided in the newspaper then back at the decrepit-looking two-story brownstone that stood before him. He knew that the actual price versus the ad description for the property was too good to be true.

Buying a newspaper had been the fifth thing he had done that morning right after discovering the embarrassing evidence that pointed to a wet dream that he had sometime during the night. The headline of "fixer upper for sale" and the cheap price tag for a brownstone in the outskirts of SoCe quickly caught his attention and decided to call the contact number. He found it to be a good omen to have reached the contact person on his first try. He even felt lucky that owner of the house lived just four blocks from the brownstone and was willing to meet Alphonse that same day, but that's where the good omen and his luck stopped at. He expected a worn out place but that building looked like it was about to become a pile of rubble. To make matters worse, the old man who owned the building just acted like there was nothing wrong with the old place —still— he stepped inside the house when he was encouraged to do so by the proprietor.

Al coughed a bit when he entered the building as the fungus spores in the air quickly attacked his lungs. Once inside he could really appreciate the floor plan of the brownstone. The first floor was cozy, ample and already fit for commercial use if it wasn't for the terrible moldy stench that came from the bathroom at the far end of the building. The old man walked him upstairs where he found that the living quarters were composed of two-bedrooms and one-bathroom was perfect for what he needed —except for the ugly water spots that covered a good portion of the ceiling and the fact that some of the flooring looked like it was going to fall into the first floor— still the place was the perfect place for a business and to call it a home. He knew that the place needed extensive work —alchemical reconstruction to be exact— but lucky for him he was an adept at structural alchemy.

"Well… this is a lovely place you have here sir…" Al said to the man with a forced smile while trying to be as polite as possible.

The building owner glared at him making the blonde quite uncomfortable with his demeanor. "Are you stupid kid? For heavens sake this place is falling apart and you make a hypocritical comment about it?"

Al just laughed nervously.

"Listen kid. This place needs a lot of work and I don't have the money to repair it. In fact this place needs a structural alchemist to restore it and those can be quite expensive if you know what I mean." The man finished his words as he eyed Alphonse. It was clear to him that the young man did not know what he was getting himself into.

Alphonse was now angry with the stout man. "Listen— What was your name again?"

"Dino. Dino DiRocco."

"Listen Dee-no. My educated guess is that you don't have a fucking cen to have this place demolished —which is what you really wanted to do with this place in the first place— as nobody has actually offered to purchase the shit hole that this place has become under your care, is this correct?" The blonde said with a cocky grin on his face, a grin that made the old man somewhat uneasy.

"Well you're in luck Dino because I like this place. I want to purchase it from you. Do you have a problem with this?"

"There's a lot to fix here, kid."

"That'll be my problem to deal with."

The man stood silent while staring at the short-haired blonde. He really thought the young man was crazy and that he was way over his head.

"I have the money so you don't have to worry your little old noggin over this." Al said with a smug smile that gained a nasty glower from the man.

—but Dino desperately needed the money and if that little shit was offering to buy the property… "Suit yourself, kid." He spat. "Come by in two days with the check. I'll have the title for the property ready for you by then."

"Great!" Alphonse said in his usual chirpy tone of voice. He bid farewell to the old man as he walked outside and headed to the closest tram station to catch the yellow line back to midtown.

"Crazy old kid…" The old man muttered as he saw Alphonse walk down the street.

**oo-OOO-oo**

"Hi Al." Winry shouted from the kitchen when she heard the door open. "I'm in the kitchen."

Al walked towards the kitchen where he found the beautiful blonde stirring some type of stew. It smelled delicious. "Hi Win. Smells great! What is it?"

"It's stewed beans. I made grilled chicken and white rice to go with it." Winry answered with a smile.

"Is that Cretan?" Al asked with utter curiosity as he never seen such combination of food.

"Yes it is, Al. I think it's from the farthest regions of western Creta."

"Well if it is as delicious as it smells…" Al replied as he mouth watered.

"It's Ed's favorite— besides beef stew of course." She said in a happy tone.

Al's eyes hardened for just a second when he felt a wave of ill will travel through his body. He surprised himself at the animosity he felt upon hearing his brother's name coming out of Winry's mouth. He frowned.

Winry noticed Al's change in expression but kept quiet about it. "So… how was your day?" She said, changing the subject.

Al noticed the tension in Winry's words. He cursed under his breath when he realized that Winry must have noticed his change in mood. He had to fix his mistake fast— "Guess what?"

"What?"

"You're looking at the new owner of a brownstone in SoCe!" He said with elation.

Winry was speechless, wondering if Al's abrupt decision had to do with what happened the night before. Occam's razor, she reminded herself.

"You're not going to congratulate me?" Al said said with hurt in his eyes… with hurt and masked irritation about the blonde's blank reaction.

"It's… it's great Al!" Winry said after a short pause. "Congratulations!" She added as she hugged the taller blonde.

Al was suddenly stunned by the closeness of Winry to him— To his body. She felt so warm to the touch as he folded his arms around her back. He swore he could hear her heart beating faster against his chest… or was it the opposite? —And her skin… it felt so smooth and it smelled so sensual… like white roses. He could feel that his face was heating up like crazy and he could also feel the same type of heat was beginning to arouse another part of his body. He thickly swallowed. He held her tighter but immediately he felt her hands trying to push away from the embrace. He allowed her to separate a bit from the closeness they just shared as he wanted to look at her face.

What he found made him more aroused. Winry's face was flushed and her blue eyes were flickering— Her breath was shallow. The words "kiss her" echoed in his mind… persuading him, enticing him. He instinctively licked his lips as he once again brought her close to him but this time he pressed his mouth upon her luscious rosy lips and kissed her tenderly. After a few seconds passed he separated himself from her soft lips to take in the beauty of her face. She looked so stunning with her eyes wide as orbs and her lips parted slightly as if asking him for more— But he felt Winry'a hands pushing him back hard and he let her go.

Winry's face suddenly looked hurt and she had tears at the corners of her eyes. She was still all flushed and now breathing hard. God she was so beautiful… He tried to step closer to her but she stepped back. Fear and confusion clung to her eyes… but what was she fearing?

"I-I got to go…" Winry said as she turned around and rushed into her room.

He heard the door slam shut and the doorknob lock. Al was stunned. What happened? What went wrong? He just didn't know.

* * *

A/N: What will Winry do...

Anyway thanks for reading! I'm trying to get the next chapter out ASAP! Had to break it in two because it was becoming too massive and I really don't like writing long chapters.

Think San Francisco's China Town as Xinguese Town —entering from Powell Street (except the pillars are of my own devising).

Think SoCe as a mixture between Manhattan's SoHo and the Village.

Pretty much I picture Central as an amalgamation between San Francisco and Manhattan.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Here's the continuation for chapter 11 and it's shock full of scrumptious angst. I hope you like it!

**Muchas gracias Jaclyn!**

* * *

Winry hugged Edward's sleeping pillow tight against her body, desperately trying to seek some type of comfort from the scent that emanated from his pillow. What the hell had just happened? Her body was still shaking from the unexpected advance she had unwillingly be subjected to. Winry swept angry tears away from her eyes with her right hand. "Occam's razor…" She muttered, her face contorted with a deep frown. How could she have been so naive? Al's recent actions had been clear as day but she still chose to ignore. It had been easier to twist the truth by reciting out loud fancy theories from olden times as if chanting the words would somehow dispel those nagging thoughts that screamed at her there was something really wrong building up.

The problem lied in that she never expected Al would go that far as to break the bonds of friendship, of family. She kept pondering why Alphonse Elric —her brother-in-law— made such blatant advance towards her. The blonde cringed at the mere thought of the family ties she shared with him. What just happened have been disturbing to say the least. A sob escaped past her lips then she drowned the rest and the subsequent bout of crying on Ed's pillow.

When the tears stopped, an exhausted Winry scowled against the pillow, debating if she should tell her husband what had transpired during his absence. Should Ed be aware that his own damned brother made a move on her? Should she just quietly forgive and forget what happened for the sake of Ed and his close bond to Al? What should she do? Winry bit her lower lip as she hugged Ed's pillow even tighter.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Al's maniacal laughter echoed throughout his bedroom. "What went wrong?" He had asked himself after Winry had locked herself in her room. "I don't know," he had honestly replied to himself. Of course his pent up, sexually-frustrated self would ask such deluded questions but now that the daze had vanished he could clearly see the gravity of his actions. Winry… he stared at the hand that was covered with his shame and grimaced at it in disgust. He let the soiled hand drop to his side then stared at the white roses that had bared witness to his shameless act. "I had no choice." He whispered to the flowers in a tone of apology. He had to find release because… the blonde cursed under his breath as self-loathing slowly scathed his soul, realizing he had just added another fucking gold star to the ever-increasing, impeccable list of atrocities committed since he stepped out of the Gate more than five years ago. A dark, twisted grin blanketed his face when he realized how much of a monster he had become…

«Quit being so melodramatic! You don't regret shit.»

Alphonse groaned. Envy was right, even if he didn't want to fully admit to it. How can he regret the fact that he got to hold her close to him? To kiss her like lovers kiss? Such intimate contact had been quite exhilarating and quite frankly he really hadn't give a flying fuck that she was her childhood friend and her brother's wife.

«Coveting what's not yours is not such a big deal as the sheeple make of it.»

"It's… just wrong." Al muttered, because he could honestly see where the homunculus was going with the statement even though it definitely was morally wrong.

«There goes Mr. Goodie-two-shoes again! I thought you wanted her— Argh! You're really insufferable, you know that darling?»

"It doesn't matter what I want…" He reprimanded the Sin. "She's Brother's wife!" He added in a harsher tone.

«So?»

"Are you insane!" Al yelled in his mind. "Nevermind. I'm not having this conversation with you."

«Heh— And how do you plan to shut me up?»

Alphonse closed his eyes tight and let out a guttural groan, knowing very well that nothing he had tried so far had actually worked to keep that creep at bay. He felt the sudden urge to pull his hair out of frustration, out of desperation.

«You know she wants you…»

The short-haired blonde suddenly opened his eyes, his attention caught by Envy's words.

«That's right darling. Why the hell do you think she ran away? She reacted to YOU!»

Envy spoke the truth. At some point during his lustful haze Al did see Winry reacting to the closeness they shared from the embrace… in fact that had been the only reason why he pressed on. Maybe… maybe she had developed feelings for him and restrained herself from acting upon those feelings out of fear?

«Now you're catching on, darling.»

**oo-OOO-oo**

Winry debated with herself for a while if she should step out of her room. She really didn't want to have another encounter with Alphonse but she hadn't put anything in her stomach since late morning. She also remembered that she needed to tidy up the kitchen as she left the cooked food on top of the stove after the unpleasant encounter with Alphonse. She unlocked the door as quietly as possible and slowly opened the door. She looked towards the guest room and it was closed so she decided it was safe to come out from her room. The blonde padded down the hall barefoot just to keep the noise down to a minimum. When she reached the kitchen she noticed that the stove was cleared. She walked to the sink and saw that the pots were washed and dried. Winry frowned at the sight. "Al…" She looked inside the trash can to see if Al had poured the food in it but it only had the coffee grinds that she had thrown in the morning. She walked to the fridge and opened it then bent over and saw the food she had prepared earlier was placed in three containers and stuck in the lower shelf.

"I didn't want the food to spoil." Alphonse said with a kind smile while he stood beside the opened refrigerator door.

Winry gave out a startled scream as her body instinctively straightened up and moved away from the fridge. Her lower back ended up crashing into the sink. Winry glowered at the short-haired blonde as she curled her fingers around the sink's edge as if it could give her some type of leverage. "I thought you were sleeping." She spat.

Al averted his eyes from Winry's and opted to look to the kitchen floor tiles. "I couldn't sleep so I sat in the living room and decided to read."

"Ok," Winry replied in a small voice. She felt her heart beating faster as her body became taut with vigilance. "Well thanks for cleaning up. I'm going back to sleep." She added, her appetite was suddenly lost. She pushed herself away from the sink and walked past the taller blonde in a hurry.

"Winry… wait." Al said as he quickly grabbed one of Winry's arms as she walked by. He spun her around and saw that her eyes widened with fear.

"Let me go…" Winry whispered as she tried to shake her arm loose.

"Please Winry. We need to talk." He replied in a calm tone.

The smaller blonde instinctively clenched her free hand to her shirt as she now stared at the taller blonde with caution— and panic. "There's nothing to talk about Al. Now let go or—"

"Then tell me why you reacted the way you did when I held you."

"What?" Winry replied horrified.

"You were all flushed after I held you… and you looked like you wanted something more from me… that's why… that's why I kissed you." A determined Al answered with a slight blush creeping into his face.

Her eyes widened even more and she opened her mouth to say something but the words never came out. Right then and there she had realized that she was the culprit for what happened earlier. Alphonse's warmth had made her fluster because she hadn't have such type of contact since Edward left for advance military training. It had been her feeble need for affection that enticed Alphonse to kiss her— His body felt like she was holding Ed's… Winry looked away with shame written all over her face. She clenched her teeth as she cursed at her traitorous body for reacting the way it did.

"It's ok Win…" Al said with a smile as he cupped one side of her face.

Winry blanched. She looked at the taller blonde in the eyes as she swallowed thickly. "Let go…" She finally managed to say but Alphonse held her arm tight so she slapped him hard across the face. Al let her go after being struck, stunned by her aggressiveness. He raised a hand to rub where Winry had slapped him. He looked at her with confusion— and anger.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Winry shrieked at him. "I'M A MARRIED WOMAN! I'm married to YOUR brother!" She added as guilty tears ran down her face.

"Then why the hell you were flirting all this time with me?" He yelled back.

"I wasn't flirting!" Winry screamed as denial took control of her temper. "You're sick. I would never—"

"You WERE flirting Winry and you WANTED me to kiss you, don't deny it now." Al replied with escalating anger.

Winry suddenly became quiet, eyes flickering behind wet tears. Had she really unconsciously mislead Alphonse to believe she was interested in him?

Alphonse backed down when he saw that Winry started looking deflated. He cleared his throat and breathed deeply while he found the courage for what he was about to say.

"I love you Winry…" He declared with a firm tone. "I always have and always will— And I know you're Edward's wife… but if you give me a chance… if you gave a me chance I could prove to you that I could make you the happiest woman in all of Amestris." He added, wearing his heart on his sleeve.

Winry looked at him like he had lost his mind. "I love Edward, Alphonse… you know that and you also know that I would never do anything to hurt him." Her facial expression and tone of voice changed to extreme pity and guilt. "I… I didn't realize you had feelings for me and I apologize to you if I ever made you think that I felt something for you—"

"Then please tell me, why did you react the way you did?" Al interjected, feeling hurt and deflated just as Winry had been minutes before.

"I was thinking of Ed—" Winry replied with brutal honesty. "I'm so sorry Al…" She added in a regretful tone.

The taller blonde was stunned. Winry took his silence as a queue to leave. She walked down the hallway and into her room, leaving Al seething in rejection.

**oo-OOO-oo**

"Bartender… another!" Alphonse shouted to the burly man who at the moment was tending to another lost soul a few stools to his left. The short-haired blonde gave the man a fake smile once he decided to come over with the bottle of bourbon. Alphonse gestured the bartender to pour two fingers of the strong liquor into his already empty glass. Al looked at the hurt face that was partially reflected on surface of the liquid and frowned. His ego still ached from Winry's brutal words— the hypocrisy of those words, calling him sick… what about her? How dare she pretend he was Ed? Alphonse slammed a fist on the water-stained counter.

«She's just a cold-hearted bitch.»

Al's already sloshed mind drifted, thinking about Envy's words. He closed his eyes and pictured her with his mind's eye. How could such beauty hurt someone so deeply?

«You should just do her in. Squeeze that pretty little neck of hers just like you did with her dear Granny.»

"No!" He yelled in a harsh tone, making the bartender and some of the other customers look at him like he had one too many. His red-rimmed eyes glanced at them then returned to his drink. He was still furious with Winry and that's why he left the apartment as soon as he recovered from the initial shock of her brutal words. He knew that if he'd stayed there any longer he would have committed something stupid— and irreparable. He was upset with her but he would not —could not— do something to hurt her… because he loved her that much… even though she didn't feel the same way. He heard Envy laughing. "What is it now?" He said with irritation.

«Haven't you noticed that Dear Brother always got the better end of the bargain?»

He stood silent as he weighed the contents of what the Sin just said.

«It's sad, really— What's reflected in your memories… such unfairness should be illegal.»

"What do you mean by that you dumb shit?" He said between clenched teeth, now eliciting some nasty glares from a few people at the bar.

«Where should I start? Hm. Let's see… he coerced you to resurrect your mom then got out of the rebound transmutation pretty much unscathed, but you my dear, got stuck in a suit of armor… and boy I'm amazed that you're not a total nut case after going through something so cruel as you went through.»

Alphonse suddenly felt cold, remembering how terrifying it had been to be bound to a piece of unfeeling, hard metal.

«You couldn't sleep, you couldn't eat, you couldn't touch or taste or smell…»

"I only understood emotions by referencing what I knew before I had my body taken from me…" He said, finishing Envy's sentence on his own accord.

«Exactly. Your body was unfairly taken from you. Now tell me, would your dear sweetheart have ever set eyes on a tin can?»

"No…" He said as he grimaced upon such realization.

«—but she would definitely set eyes on Pipsqueak because he was the sibling with the actual warm human body that she could cuddle up to.»

"Brother went through hell to get my body back!" He replied in a harsh tone of voice, making the bartender keep an eye on him.

«Like I told you before, he only did it out of guilt.»

Alphonse lifted his glass and drank the bourbon in one big gulp. He hissed from the burning he felt as he liquor went down his throat. "He lost his alchemy to get my body back."

«An almost fair price for all your suffering, but not fair enough… he still got the girl. The girl you have loved since you were a kid.»

"He deserved happiness…"

«—and what about your happiness?»

The blonde closed his eyes, thinking of what could not be —should not be. "I'll live." He said mentally to the Sin who just laughed at him knowing very well that the blonde was just bluffing.

**oo-OOO-oo**

When Alphonse realized that he had actually acquiesced with what Envy conveyed he knew right then and there that he already had one too many. He placed some bills on the counter and staggered his way out of the bar not without some of the customers still looking at him like he was some sort of a crazy person. He usually had his open conversations with the homunculus when he was in the privacy of his own room or when people were not around him but at the moment he didn't give a damn if someone saw him talking to himself. He looked at his handwatch and noticed it was three in the morning. He sighed as he continued to walk aimlessly down the street. He didn't want to return to the apartment, not in the state he was in, so he just walked.

His feet brought him to the soon-to-be-his brownstone and he laughed-out-loud at the irony of it. He was looking at the decrepit building and decided —since he wasn't sleepy or drunk anymore— that it wouldn't hurt to go right in and start surveying what needed to be fixed. He figured that the sooner he did the survey the faster he would be out of Ed's apartment… and out of Winry's sight. He stepped in front of the entrance, looked around before clapping his hands then alchemically opened the worn out door. He suddenly felt a bit sleazy for trespassing but then laughed it out as no one would care if he entered such a shit hole and besides the fact that the place was pretty much his.

He coughed once again from the stale air that flooded out from the inside. He took three steps then immediately cursed as he hurt his left chin when he crashed onto some wood crates that laid close to the front the door. He rubbed his chin as his eyes adjusted to the dim light that entered into the apartment from the street lamps. Al looked around and saw that there was an oil lamp on top of one of the wood crates. He grabbed the lamp and lit up the wicker by using a match from a matchbox that he grabbed at the bar he just came out of. He continued with his survey now that he had a decent light source to maneuver around the place.

Al walked upstairs and immediately noticed that the culprit for the water damage the ceiling sustained was most likely caused by some heavy leak on the roof. He also noticed that it was water that had rotted parts of the wood flooring. Next he went down stairs and noted that there were some cracks on the back wall near the horribly stinky bathroom. He figured that there was some sort of problem with the piping and that meant that he had to deconstruct portions of the wall to get to the pipes and replace them. Al immediately realized that there could also be problems with the brownstone's electrical wiring but he'll have to wait on that one until he got power connected to the building. He walked around trying to locate the fuse box for future reference. He suspected that the box would be around what used to be a kitchen but found nothing, however, he did see a door that he hadn't noticed the first time he visited the place. The blonde had to tackle the door to pry it open, and once he did, Al noticed that there was a set of stairs that lead to a basement. His lips curled upward because he didn't think there was an actual basement within the construction of the brownstone. He found the fuse box and a boiler at the foot of the stairs. He now smiled from ear to ear as the unexpected extra space could serve for a storage room or as a lab for his alkahestry and alchemy experiments. He had been so amused that he'd forgotten about the time. Al looked at his watch and noticed it was already almost six in the morning so he went back upstairs and saw the faint traces of dawn through the boarded windows. He decided to leave before daylight broke in when his stomach decided to rumble. "Might as well grab a bite while I get acquainted with the neighborhood." He said to himself while he grinned out of happiness.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Winry had the urge to rasp on the guest room's door even though she knew that Al wasn't in there. She had heard the loud slamming of the front door minutes after she entered her room. Such loud noise had shaken her to the core. She knew Al was mad and with a good reason. There could have been so many different excuses to tell the taller blonde about her reaction towards him but she chose the bluntest excuse, which ironically was the truth. She didn't regret telling him how she felt but it was how she said it that made her feel anxious. She had been somewhat crude towards him but it was the only way she knew how to get her point across. Winry laughed bitterly thinking that even at that sort of thing she was treating Al like he was Ed. There was no answer to her knocking —just as she expected— so she decided to head to the kitchen and prepare some strong coffee.

Winry was sitting in the dining room table when she heard someone outside the front door fumbling with their keys. Her breath hitched when she heard the doorknob finally turn.

When Al opened the door the first thing he did was look at the young woman's direction with a rueful smile on his tired face. Winry in turn looked like she was about to cry. The mechanic felt a sharp pang of sorrow course through her entire body. Al looked so haggard, so miserable and sad that it made her feel guilty all over again. Such powerful impression also made her feel more rotten that she already was. She scolded herself thinking how much damage she had done because she had treated Al like Ed— And he was not Ed. She bit her lower lip as she saw the short-haired blonde step in. Ed would throw a fit if he saw how his younger brother looked.

"These are for you." Al said as he brought out from behind his back a bouquet of purple hyacinths. "They're purple hyacinths. They mean 'please forgive me'." Al added with another rueful smile on his face.

Winry looked shocked. "Alphonse…"

"I'm truly sorry Winry. Please say you'll forgive me…"

The mechanic stared at the flowers were held in front of her. Up until that moment she had made her resolve to tell Ed what had happened between her and his younger brother but now… she was back to square one. Alphonse Elric… no matter what, he really was a kind man and a gentleman to boot. She bit her lower lip again as she grabbed the bouquet from the taller blonde's hands. "I'm sorry too, Al…"

Al looked at her with a glint of expectancy, something that made her eyes narrow. "—but what I said to you is how I truly feel. I love Ed… he's my everything." She said in a wary tone.

"Winry?" The taller blonde interjected, thinking about what Envy had said to him at the bar. "Would you have felt the same if I was never stuck in the armor?" He had asked out of curiosity.

"Why do you ask?" She asked back because his question only made her feel more wary than she already was.

"I spent most of my teenage years as a— as an armor." He said, almost adding "tin can" to his words but retracted from it at the last moment. "If I had been just an ordinary boy, would you have noticed me? You know, in that way?"

Winry stared at him with a disconcerted look. His question was so random that she didn't know what to say or how to react to it. "I… I honestly don't know Al… but… I think it's too late now to be asking such questions." She pursed her lips.

Al's heart sunk in despair. Envy's words suddenly made a lot of sense, bitterly realizing that the parasite had been correct all along about many things, things that he had been blind to because—

«Because you used to be an impressionable little boy UNWILLINGLY stuck inside an armor. Now should you be so thankful to Dear Brother for fucking up your life all along?»

Winry tensed as she saw Al's expression turn from sorrowful to angry in mere seconds.

Al noticed that he was scaring Winry so he tried to push to the back of his mind his anger because it was not directed at her but at his brother. He breathed in and out slowly. "Winry… I understand. Please forgive me and my stupid questions." He said as he gave her a warm yet fake smile. "I'm glad that you're happy with Brother…" He lied, "—And like I said before, Brother is a very lucky guy to have you in his life." He punctuated with a forced grin because he didn't want to show resentful he really felt at that moment.

"Thank you Al." She politely answered while curbing the nagging that again told her something was amiss with her brother-in-law.

**oo-OOO-oo**

The fifth month that Winry and Alphonse lived together under one roof went by rather fast, forced but fast. Winry spent her days setting up a small workshop in the spare room while Alphonse spent his days fixing up his new property at the outskirts of SoCe. He had found the hard way that stabilizing the brownstone's foundation had been more difficult than he imagined. It took tremendous mental and physical strength just to be able to transmute at such large scale, something he did with ease when he was in the armor. He remembered how Ed was able to do it like it was a piece of cake… Al couldn't help but to scowl at the once pleasant memory. What was happening to him? He should not have such ill feelings towards his only brother yet there he was feeling all types of dark emotions, from anger to resentment— to envy.

"Envy…" He said as his mind trailed off. He recited the definition in his mind as he pictured the homunculus that called himself by that word. Had fate brought them together? Al shook his head at the mere thought of it. He abhorred the Sin that he carried within but—

The blonde raked his hair with both hands as he forced his mind to concentrate on the task at hand. The homunculus began laughing at his expense, yet Alphonse managed to drown the Sin out as he focused on mathematical equations, runes and geometric patterns. He clapped his hands one more time and pressed them onto to the desired target— A familiar blue electricity followed.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Central's train station was as busy as usual. People rushed in an out, some said their farewells, others their hellos and many -like the beautiful blonde that walk by his side— would get to say their "I love you".

He couldn't keep his eyes away from her. Winry looked particularity stunning that evening and why wouldn't she? After all she was there to see her husband —his brother— after six months of separation due to military training. A tinge of sadness invaded his heart as he thought back about the time spent with the forbidden blonde. He regretted that their once-impeccable friendship had been tainted by his impulsiveness because his romantic feelings for her had trumped over any codes of moral decency. They didn't speak about the incident but both didn't speak that much to each other anymore to begin with.

Winry had been so quiet and sad after their altercation. She hardly looked at him at all even though she had said to have forgiven him. She had carried a sullen demeanor for weeks, that was until Edward called her on the phone saying he was on his way back to Central. That conversation had taken place two days ago and now they both waited for the 7:03 from Dublith to arrive at Central station.

Al looked at Winry for the umpteenth time, seeing how her sudden elation was getting entwined with anxiety as the time of Ed's arrival grew near. She just couldn't stop biting her lower lip which was stained cherry red for the occasion. He looked away as that ugly feeling called resentment was once again grabbing a hold of his emotions. He closed his eyes and childishly wished that Ed wouldn't have gotten on that train. He opened his eyes again and chuckled for being so petty.

Both blondes heard the train whistle as the 7:03 approached the station. His breath immediately hitched. Soon Edward was going to be reunited with his lovely wife and he wondered if Winry would tell Ed what he had done while he was out. His insides constricted with fear just by thinking about it. Edward had entrusted him with the task of protecting Winry and there he went and ruined it by hitting on his wife— He really was despicable. Winry's blue eyes narrowed as she catched him eyeing her so he looked away from her.

The screeching sound that the train's wheels made as it eased in on the station broke the uncomfortable tension that had built up between the once-close friends. Soon after the first passengers started getting off the wagons. His eyebrows knitted together with worry as he mentally prepared himself to face his brother's wrath after hearing from Winry's lips how he took advantage of the hospitality and blind trust that was placed on him by both of them. The taller blonde was snapped out from his personal hell when he heard Winry's voice calling him by his name.

"I won't tell Ed." She said in a flat tone. She probably had noticed the anguish that the taller blonde felt.

Al didn't reply. He just stared at her and her guilty eyes. The tense exchange of stares was broken by the thunderous voice that Edward Elric possessed. Winry looked around and saw her husband waving at her from the distance.

"Edward!" She squealed like a school girl as she ran past the numerous people that occupied the train platform.

Alphonse saw how husband and wife —brother and sister-in-law— finally reached each other and hugged for the first time in months. He observed how the mechanic's guilty face changed to one of relief and sheer happiness while she jumped on Ed and clung to him as she wrapped her legs around his waist. He also bared witness as to how Winry started kissing his brother passionately in public. Such kissing was reciprocated with the same intensity and enthusiasm as the woman who had started the kiss.

In another time and place Alphonse Elric would have been extremely happy for the pure love that his brother and childhood friend felt for one another… but that time and place was long gone. What remained was a jealous young man whose shaking fists foretold of the bubbling grudge he felt for the couple that so blatantly rubbed in his face their lovey-dovey bullshit. Envy was indeed a pretty nasty thing to feel.

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A/N: Well… after this chapter many chapters will go into the MA rating. I will let you know at the beginning of each chapter if I have altered the chapter to comply with Fanfiction's guidelines. If you are over 18 and want to read the story as intended then please read it at AO3 however I would love for you to leave a comment there— and no you don't need an account to post a comment.

Your reviews are always kindly appreciated! —And thanks girls for your continued support! Ciao!


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: First of all, thanks for all the reviews! I'm glad that you do like the insanity I'm writing here. Second, **thank you Jaclyn for helping with the beta!** Third but not least, are you looking for a great fic with a fresh and original take on FMA? Then look no further! Type jaclynkaileigh on the search field and hit enter! She's a great writer and her latest fic _Absence of Souls_ has been recently updated. Trust me you'll be hooked with that fic. Also read her other work which are also great reads.

Now back to my fic. I've decided to let the reader know when a chapter content is MA. I will leave a warning as to why the chapter is MA. If you are older than 18 and want to read the chapter in all it's blunt, raw or horrific glory then go to my profile and click on the link for AO3. It will take you to my page in Archive of Our Own. **I'm Noire in AO3.** If you like and are willing, you can leave a comment over there too. XD

Enjoy the reading!

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**WARNING: THIS CHAPTER IS THE EDITED VERSION FOR FANFICTION DOT NET. THE ORIGINAL RESIDES AT AO3 DUE TO EXPLICIT SEXUAL CONTENT.**

* * *

Winry had just done something she had never dared before with her husband. She had shamelessly fucked him. Just like a bitch in heat, she jumped Edward once he had closed the door to their room. Her desperate need to have him buried deep inside her was so overwhelming that even the voice of her conscience was questioning her about such lascivious behavior. Guilt was the name to such lascivious behavior because guilt had been the driving force that had made her straddle Edward, that had persuaded her to impale herself on him, enticed her to roll her hips and ride his cock into a blissful oblivion… all because she needed to feel liberated from guilt itself.

Winry didn't know how heavy were the chains of guilt until she made eye contact with Edward at the train station. She could literarily feel an overwhelming sense of wrongness inundating her mind. She knew she had to escape from such horrible feeling so she ran towards the only person that could help put her mind at ease. Common sense and proper decency had been abandoned as she jumped on her husband wrapping her legs around his waist in what could be perceived by all who had bared witness as a shameless display of affection —and she had hated herself for it— but she knew that her behavior was a direct result of the guilt she felt. It was a misplaced feeling —she knew this to be true— but she just couldn't get over the idea that she somehow had cheated on Edward with Alphonse. In her initial desperation, she had concluded that getting marked by her husband in the most primitive of ways would serve as a salve for her guilt. Now she was in the shelter of her room laying on top of Ed as she drilled the idea into her mind that she had chosen the right course of action for the strenuous circumstance she had been unwillingly thrown in by her brother-in-law.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Alphonse knew he had woken on the wrong side of the bed that morning, that is if he had a decent bed to have slept on in the first place. He had crashed at his brownstone sometime around midnight right after he came out of the bar that was now becoming his favorite watering hole. In his drunken haze he had sloppily transmuted something that resembled a mattress made out of canvas material that covered large areas of the wood flooring so it wouldn't get damaged as he worked on the restoration of his newly acquired domicile. He knew it was an unnecessary torment to have stayed under such limited conditions but at the moment he just couldn't stand being in Ed and Winry's apartment while they're were going at it— Just thinking about it made him even more irritable that he already was. Irritation was not the only feeling that was slowly gaining ground in his psyche. Resentment and anger were also slowly but steadily making their way deep within his soul. It was something that he didn't fully accept but it was also something that he wasn't rejecting neither… a behavior so unlike him… or was it really like him after all?

He had woken up at seven in the morning in his cold and dusty brownstone feeling all sorts of knots on his back due to the poor makeshift bedding he had crashed on. He instinctively cursed both Ed and Winry, pinning his woes on them because of their inability to behave like decent human beings and not like fucking rabbits in heat. Minutes after he woke up he admitted to himself that he would have preferred to have just stayed at his place —even though at the moment it was quite inhospitable— but he knew Ed wouldn't have any of that. His older brother would simply not permit that he stayed under such scarce conditions when there was a perfectly good place for him to stay in for as long as he wanted— So there he was standing in line as he waited for the girl behind the counter to ask him for how many doughnuts, muffins, bagels or scones he wanted to buy. He sighed and waited in line for what seemed like an eternity.

Al's mind drifted as he waited to be attended. He was conscientious that he had to behave nice in front of Ed because he most likely was oblivious about what happened between Winry and himself. At the train station he had been worried that Winry would spill the beans, but since it didn't happen, he knew that Winry had decided to keep her lips shut. He had seen profound guilt dimming the blue of her irises just before Ed had called out to her and he knew first hand that guilt was a powerful motivator—

«I bet you that she pounded her guilt away with his–»

"Isn't it too goddamn early to start with the instigating?" Al mentally shot at the homunculus.

«Even though it's the truth?»

"I don't care," he mumbled.

«But you DO care darling…»

"Argh! You're impossible!"

"Excuse me?" The bakery attendant spat at him, accompanied by a nasty glower that made Alphonse realized that he was once again talking out-loud— to himself.

He mentally directed a few selected words to the Sin while he bashfully smiled at the attendant. He ordered in a rush and quickly left the establishment.

**oo-OOO-oo**

"Coffee…" Edward said while he scratched his head, dragging his beaten body to the kitchen. "Morning Win."

"Morning Ed." Winry replied with a tired smile. She finished pouring coffee in her husband's super-sized mug and handed it to him.

"Thanks…" He managed to say in his zombie-like state.

The elder Elric grabbed the mug from Winry's hands then spun around and directed his sorry ass to the dining room. Winry soon followed. In his muted state, Ed sugared his coffee and took a large sip of the black liquid. A sigh of relief escaped his lips as he felt the caffeine working its magic through his system. He placed the mug on the wooden table —making a small thud in the process— and raised his golden eyes at his wife who was sitting on the opposite side of the table, quietly drinking her coffee. "Hey Win…" He said with a playful grin. "This coffee would taste even better if we had—"

"Glazed donuts?" Alphonse shouted out loud as he closed the front door, making Ed gleam at the sound of his voice and Winry choke on her coffee.

"You know me well little bro!" Ed said with a wide grin once Alphonse walked into the dining room area. "Now hand 'em over."

The short-haired blonde walked behind his brother and handed him the brown cardboard box before he sat next to him but not before sending an inappropriate look to the woman that was hiding behind her coffee mug.

Edward opened the box and quickly dunked a glazed donut in his massive mug then made a gratifying moan when he chewed out a huge chunk of the sugary baked good, such vulgar gesture elicited a hearty chuckle from his younger brother and a glare from his annoyed wife. Alphonse took the opportunity that Ed was in his own little world to grab the box with doughnuts. "Winry, I bet I can entice you too." He said in his usual charming tone, but his words were maliciously injected with double entendres, making Winry suddenly feel very self-conscious and exposed to the young man.

"You're wearing the same clothes you had on last night, Al." The long-haired blonde said with his mouth full.

"Um… about that… I didn't stay here last night, Brother." Al replied with a sheepish smile as he now looked towards Ed. "I wanted to give you both…" He said as he shifted his gaze back to the mechanic. "Some privacy— Donut, Winry?" He added as he looked at her with a lecherous smirk and a telltale look.

"No thanks. I'm not hungry." The blonde managed to say as she hid her disgust behind her mug.

"Well it's your loss, Win." Ed interjected while grabbing the box from Al's hands. "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse!"

"I bet you are…" Al mumbled —behind clenched teeth and a courteous smile— but loud enough so that only Winry could hear it.

The mechanic couldn't take it anymore so she stood up and excused herself with the two brothers saying she was not feeling very well. She placed her coffee mug in the kitchen sink and slammed the door to her room after she walked inside.

"Jeez. What is her problem?" Ed muttered as Al laughed inwardly —accompanying Envy's laughter— while basking in the small victory he just won.

«That Pipsqueak is so fucking clueless. I don't even know how that fucking bitch even laid eyes on him in the first place.»

Al felt great. His unintentional quip had actually lightened his sour mood. "Gee. I don't know Brother…" He said, still milking out his victory over the beautiful blonde. "Was it something I said?" He added as he infused more discord into his remarks.

"I don't think so Al." Ed answered nonchalantly as he stuffed his face with another doughnut.

«Fucking idiot.»

"I guess you're right." Al replied with yet another double entendre, knowing that the Sin would enjoy his response— He suddenly lost his color when he realized that he was catering his amusement to the homunculus. His stomach turned with the stark realization.

"Al… are you ok?" The elder Elric asked when he saw his younger brother's blanching face.

"Um yeah. It's nothing. I just had a rough night…" He blurted, immediately chastising himself for running off his mouth without thinking.

"—but didn't you stay at that place you just bought…" Ed replied in an inquisitive tone.

"Well, yes…" Al responded as he scratched his head bashfully.

"Go on…" Ed said while the corners of his mouth curled downwards.

"It's undergoing some remodeling at the moment." He replied sheepishly.

"YOU SLEPT ON THE FUCKING FLOOR?"

"Not exactly…"

Edward growled something in his current frustrated state then looked at Al with escalating anger. "You wrote to me that you had just gotten a place to live but you didn't mention that the place needed to be fixed… what the fuck Al?"

"Stop it, Brother!" Al hissed. "I don't want to start a fight with you…" He added as he countered Ed's fierce look with one of his own. He closed his eyes and sighed. "Why don't you finish your coffee and I will take you to see my place?" He said with an air of resignation when he opened his eyes again.

"Fine." Ed spat in a more subdued yet angry tone.

**oo-OOO-oo**

The long ride on the yellow line to downtown had actually helped lighten up the gloomy mood between them. As they walked down the street and towards Al's place, Ed couldn't help but to be somewhat fascinated with what have been done to the southern part of Central over the past five years. It looked like Führer Grumman was actually doing what he had promised behind closed doors. It made Ed feel more relieved about collaring himself back into the military because this time around he would be working to help others rather than for his own selfish motives. He smiled as it was also a golden opportunity to work on their theory of Equivalent Exchange plus one.

"What's the smile for, Brother?" Al asked while they walked.

"Huh?"

"You've been smiling for a while now."

Ed grinned. "I like what the new administration has done so far for this neighborhood— SoCe right?"

"Heh. Yeah. Grumman is actually working for the people." Al said as he thought about that crazy old man.

"He's handing the Bastard everything on a silver platter if he keeps it up."

"—and you'll have to pay the General his 520 cens back sooner rather than later."

"Thanks Al for bringing that up." Ed said as he made an exaggerated theatrical gesture of utter irritation.

"You're not fooling anyone Ed. You know you want Mustang to reach his goal. Isn't that why you're a Lieutenant Colonel now?"

They had just stopped at a pedestrian sign. Ed took the opportunity to smile back his younger brother but purposely opted not to answer the question. His younger brother took his silence as a hint for terminating the subject. Al mentioned that they had to walk one more block to reach the brownstone. When they arrived at Al's place, Ed couldn't help but to whistle out of admiration for his little brother's prized possession. "Wow Al! You sure ripped that man off." He said jokingly.

"Jeez Ed. You're making it sound like I'm a sleazy person." Al pointed with irritation to what Ed replied to with a mischievous grin.

Alphonse sighed as he got the keys out of his coat to open the front door. "Go right ahead Brother." He said with a welcoming gesture once he pushed open the front door.

Edward was amazed at how great the inside looked but he also became quite upset when he confirmed that his little brother had slept under harsh conditions. He scowled. "The place is great Al but you know you didn't need to stay here when there's a perfectly good place for you at my apartment." Ed chided as he couldn't let his indignation go unnoticed.

Al rolled his eyes knowing well that his older brother was going to give him lip again about his decision of staying at his place overnight. He put the keys back in his pocket and walked towards the nearest window. He stood there, watching the people outside walk by. "Well you two needed privacy, Brother…" He finally answered with his eyes fixed on the busy street.

"That's no excuse for—"

Al turned around and stared at Ed with a small frown framing his olive eyes. "Edward your woman was being too loud in bed." He spewed, finally unleashing his embittered feelings. Edward's face reddened. He looked highly embarrassed and Al understood that he had been too blunt. "I'm sorry Ed…"

"It's ok Al…" He replied, hiding his golden eyes behind his long bangs. "Last night… was interesting to say the least."

«Gee. I wonder why?»

Al couldn't help but to frown deeper when he heard the homunculus' words inside his head. "Too much information, Ed."

"Sorry Al." He answered in a bashful tone. "You sure did a hell of a job with this place." He added, changing back to the previous conversation.

"I guess." Al gleamed, showing some pride in his work. "—but there's still a lot to do before I can open the shop."

"Fuck Al. Was this place in such a bad shape?"

"Yes it was… but it wasn't like I couldn't handle the restoration."

Ed spread a toothy grin across his face. "I expect nothing less from my little brother!"

It was the short-haired blonde's turn to become red-faced. He cleared his throat. "C'mon." Al gestured Ed with his hands to follow him. "I need to show you the second floor then the basement."

**oo-OOO-oo**

Winry got out of her room as soon as she heard the front door open and close. She was still fuming from the unsavory conversation that took place earlier at the dining room. After grabbing a quick bite, she went into the spare room and kept working on the room arrangement so she could soon start working on some automail commissions she had left from Resembool. She started thinking about the past few days as she worked on converting the closet shelves to a tool shelf. She hated to admit to it but Al had blatantly taunted her, pushed her buttons, trying to get a negative reaction out of her… and it all had worked like a charm. She bit her lip out of frustration but she let go of her lip as the corners of her mouth turned downwards while she replayed in her head the events that had transpired early that morning.

The mechanic needed to take a break from what she was doing —and thinking— so she sat on the small cot that she kept for taking short naps in between rushed jobs. Winry laid on the simple cot, staring at the white ceiling above her. She tried to take a nap but the constant worry didn't let her. Instead her eyebrows furrowed as she came to certain conclusions about Al's recent behavior towards her.

Now that she thought about it, she did sense reproach laced with Al's words— jealousy even. "Al's… jealous." She muttered as her eyebrows knitted together. Winry debated once again if she should actually let Ed know about Al's feelings for her… but the more she thought about it the more she retracted from the idea. She figured that Al wouldn't do something stupid now that Ed was around and not because Al respected her —as he already showed that he didn't— but he would definitely restrain himself for Edward out their iron-clad brotherly bond. Winry realized that she shouldn't torture herself with excessive worry. Soon enough the short-haired blonde would leave the apartment, hopefully taking the unnecessary guilt she felt along with him. Afterwards it would be up to her to control any future encounters with Al thus putting an end to the unpleasantness of the current situation. She smiled as she couldn't wait for the moment that her brother-in-law would leave her home for good.

**oo-OOO-oo**

"I can't wait to see the place completely restored." Ed said as he now walked around the spacious basement. "You know, this basement would make an excellent alchemy lab."

"I'm planning on it, Brother."

Edward kept walking and stopped to touch the pillars that held the foundation steady. He inspected them and ran his hands around the smooth concrete surface just as his face became listless.

"You ok there Ed?"

"I'm ok Al… just thinking about… old times. That's all…"

"You miss it… don't you?"

Ed chuckled while trying to hide away the sadness from his younger brother. He did miss his alchemy but he knew that his sacrifice had been more than worth it because he had Al with him —in the flesh— just as it should be but… that didn't deter from feeling some melancholy about his past feats as the Fullmetal Alchemist.

"Al?"

"Yes Ed?"

"Remember how I used to fix entire buildings with the clap of my hands?"

"Yeah…" Al answered with a guarded tone as he felt somewhat uncomfortable with his inability to perform like Ed, back when he was still bound to the armor.

"It was such a piece of cake. Forming an array in your head then clapping your hands together— and presto!" Ed added with wistful contentment.

"Well Brother I'm glad that you have such fond memories…" He replied while trying to hide the animosity that was bubbling within.

"It really was such a piece of cake…" Ed grinned as he remembered the time that he used his alchemy to draw Scar out of hiding. "Well… you know what I meant by it, little bro."

Al was now annoyed with Ed's arrogance. "No, I don't know what you mean Ed." He said as his blood started to boil. "Not everyone can transmute with such ease."

The long-haired blonde's eyes slightly widened with consternation. "You can't transmute like you did when you were in the armor?"

«Interesting choice of words… don't you think so darling?»

Al's heart skipped a beat. He didn't like what Envy had pointed out. "No Ed. Why do you ask?"

Edward winced and looked away when Al asked him such a direct question.

"Edward?" The short-haired blonde cried out as his eyebrows knitted together with worry.

"Al…" He swallowed thickly. "I haven't asked you yet, but… did you get a chance to see a neurologist?"

«That again? Heh.»

Alphonse felt his blood running cold… why would Ed insist so much on seeing a goddamn neurologist? Unless…

«He knows he screwed you up —again— stupid.»

Al's stomach turned. Envy couldn't be right… could he? "Brother?" He asked with a trembling voice. His heart was beating fast and a sickening feeling was stirring up his insides. He was afraid to ask but he had to know… he had to know if the Sin was right. He had to try and prove himself —and Envy— wrong.

"Yes Al?" Ed replied with apprehension while he kept looking away.

"Did-did something actually go wrong when you got me out of the Gate?" His throat became incredibly tight as he expressed such truthful words.

The ex-alchemist clenched his jaw and didn't answer Al's question immediately.

"Edward?" Al asked with hurt as he forcefully pushed away —right along with Envy's odious laughter— the heartbreaking sensation that took over his heart and soul.

"Al…" Ed finally answered when he saw the hurt look in Alphonse's olive eyes. "I-I don't know."

Alphonse felt something literarily shattering inside of him. He kept staring into his brother's guilty eyes as he started to shake all over.

Al's shaking made the long-haired blonde quiver with apprehension. "Al? Al talk to me… please."

"You don't have an answer but… you're worried? Why would you be worried if everything went fine?" He swallowed, pushing down the clump in his throat. "You're lying, Ed. All this time… all this time you kept quiet because you know there was a probability that there's something wrong with me, Ed… DON'T YOU ED?"

"No Al! I haven't lied to you! I said that I wasn't sure." He answered with desperation. "It's the blackouts that have me worried— and you just said that your alchemy isn't the same! I just-I just want to make sure there's nothing wrong with you brother—" He immediately stopped talking as if he just realized something. "Al… then why do you ask as if you know there's something wrong?"

«Now that's rich! The nerve of him to turn the whole argument to his favor… none of it would have happened in the first place if he hadn't forced you to resurrect your mom.»

Envy's words were too much for the younger Elric to handle at the moment. Al instinctively covered his ears with his hands and closed his eyes shut, trying to desperately tune away from world —and from the pain— that surrounded him.

Edward panicked when he saw his brother so withdrawn. He rushed towards him and shook him by the shoulders. "Al? What's wrong Al?"

The younger brother instinctively pushed the elder away and went back to his withdrawn state. "No…" He said between clenched teeth.

«I'm showing you the fucking truth, you stupid shit!»

"Shut up…" He whispered, his words directed at Envy.

"Alphonse?" Ed asked again while on the bring of crying.

"I SAID 'SHUT UP'!" Al screamed out loud at the Sin— and at his older brother.

Edward stood frozen in place as hot tears quickly rolled down his cheeks.

Al realized what he had done and quickly regretted it. He regretted exposing his desperation to his brother— and to Envy. "Ed-Brother… please forgive me. I didn't want to yell at you like that." He was crying too.

The elder Elric sobbed. "I worry a lot about your welfare, Al… I just want you to be happy— Dammit! I'm such a fucking idiot!" Ed said as he hid his face behind his hands.

"I-I know Ed… I know you worry… I know you care for me." Al responded as he desperately clung to those words. He closed the gap between him and Ed then hugged him. "I know you love me…" He whispered close to his ear. "I will see the doctor once I open shop so you don't have to worry about me anymore."

Edward held his brother tighter. He knew Al had every right to be angry at him, after all, he was always at fault with the all the wrong that happened to them both.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Winry was still giving the final touches to the temporary automail workstation when she heard the front door open. She stepped out of the room and quickly became worried with the deafening silence that permeated every corner of the apartment. She walked past the kitchen —glancing at Alphonse who was drinking some water— and headed directly to the living room. Her stomach churned with fear when she found a very withdrawn Ed sitting on the couch with his face hidden behind his long bangs. She feared the worst. The mechanic deduced that her husband might have noticed Al's innuendos when they were having coffee that morning and had actually decided to confront him about it. She regretted right then not telling Ed what had happened during his absence because God knows what kind of lies Al might have told him about what happened between them. Winry felt the blood leaving her face as she contemplated that scenario. She gulped as she searched for a speck of courage because she had to press forward. She had to know what was going on in Ed's head.

"Ed… what's wrong?" She gulped again.

The couple heard Al leave the kitchen then heard a door —most likely it was the door to his room— close shut. It was only after Ed heard the door close that he decided to answer her question.

"We had another fight, Win." He said in a low voice, still not looking directly at her.

Winry's felt her legs falter from dread so she quickly sat on the couch, hoping that Ed wouldn't notice anything wrong with her body language. "W-what did you two fight about?" She managed to say as she prepared for the worst.

"About his health issues."

The blonde suddenly felt relieved that it wasn't about her but her worries were quickly replaced by the sympathy she felt for Ed.

"Wanna talk about it?"

Ed finally looked at her and gave her a wistful smile. "He's upset with my constant nagging— I can't help it Winry. I still feel responsible for what we put ourselves through when we decided to commit taboo. I feel—"

"Guilty." She said, finishing the sentence for him, knowing how insidious its effects can be.

"Yeah. We already talked about it, but…"

"What is it Ed?"

"I don't know… maybe I'm imagining things but… it just feels like there's something going on with him but I can't seem to understand what it is."

Now she was the one turning her eyes away as her own guilt pulled on her heavy chains. She glanced at her husband with sorrow… if only Ed knew how true his words actually were.

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A/N: I do hope you enjoyed the reading. Like I wrote in chapter 12 I'm slowly but steadily bringing up the notch on this story. I have to go slow because there are so many plots contained in this fic and weaving them together is not an easy task.

Don't forget to R&R! I cherish positive feedback and truly appreciate any constructive criticism.

Ciao!


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: No warnings for this chapter. Enjoy the reading!

**Thanks my dear Jake, for everything. xoxo**

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"Well, well, well… I'm impressed!" Roy Mustang said as he eyed from head-to-toe at the newly-appointed Lieutenant Colonel Edward Elric who was now standing in front of his desk.

"What about it?" Ed spat with a raised eyebrow and crossed arms.

"I really thought that you were going to step in here with a nice crew cut." Roy replied as he added emphasis to the word "nice". He then shifted forward on his desk as he leaned his upper body and his elbows on top of the desktop. "Looks like I lost another one–"

"YOU PEOPLE SHOULD GET A LIFE!" Ed screamed when he heard the General whine about how he was losing his touch when bets were of concern. "HEY!" He slammed his hands hard on the wooden desktop.

Roy looked up at the raving young man with a bored look. "Yes Edward?"

The long-haired blonde straightened up and fiddled with the awfully stuffy military-issued necktie. "I reported in so I'm heading to my post now." Ed turned around and arrogantly waved him off as he walked towards the door. "Bye now!" He added as an afterthought.

"I haven't dismissed you, Fullmetal." The General said flatly.

Edward stopped and Roy could see the anger mounting on Edward's shoulders as he cringed from being called by his old State Alchemist code name.

Ed did a one-eighty. "I told you not to call me by that name anymore you bastard!"

"—and I thought that Officer's school was going to take the insubordination out of you. So live with it."

Ed sent a feral look Roy's way which Roy disarmed with a smug look of his own, eliciting a snort from the angry blonde.

"Well are we done here? Time is of the essence and I really need to get to my duties— Sir." Ed pointed out with utmost sarcasm after a few minutes of posturing.

Mustang didn't answer immediately but opted to stand up from his chair in that slow and irritating pace which usually made the blonde shoot daggers at him.

"Well Lieutenant Colonel Elric, let's get to it." Roy said as he gallantly gestured for the door. "You shouldn't keep your subordinates waiting any longer. It's bad manners, but I'm sure you know this already." He added with a smug smile while walking around his overly pompous mahogany desk.

Ed snorted and gritted his teeth in frustration. He had tried to keep calm, he really did, but that bastard really knew how to piss him off.

**oo-OOO-oo**

"At ease." Roy said to the three subordinates that were to meet him and Edward inside the private office assigned to the Lieutenant Colonel of the Intelligence Division. "There's really no need for formal introductions as you all are well acquainted with Lieutenant Colonel Elric, besides…" He said sternly as he looked at the blonde standing to his right side. "I know how much the Lieutenant Colonel here detests formality, so I'm going to let this omission of adequate protocol slide this one time. Take it as a welcoming gift to you, Lieutenant Colonel Elric."

Edward was slightly shocked by the older man's actions as he knew very well that the General was a stickler for military protocols and procedures. "I understand sir." He answered with a sincere formal salute to the surprise of all who witnessed it, including the General himself.

Roy cleared his throat. "I leave you now to your duties." He glanced at Edward with a sliver of candor. "May you serve well this country and its glorious military."

"Sir!" The blonde responded with his right hand raised in a proper military salute.

Mustang saluted back, made an about face and headed out the door as he gently closed it behind him, leaving Edward in his office with his three subordinates.

The long-haired blonde sighed while he readjusted for a second time his necktie. He really was not used to wearing such constrictive articles of clothing for long periods of time. He just couldn't understand how Mustang or even his own brother could willingly submit themselves to such torture.

"Lieutenant Colonel Edward Elric!" Cried out Major Alex Louis Armstrong with his overly dramatic bass voice, immediately snapping the shorter man from his thoughts. "Welcome to the Intelligence Division, sir. With you here we will surely bring this place back to its former glory."

"Hi there, Major." Ed replied warily as he didn't want the gentle giant to explode into one of his muscle-displaying fits.

"Welcome back, Ed." Said Second-Lieutenant Maria Ross in her usual tender yet motherly tone to which the elder Elric responded with a bashful smile.

"We're sure glad to have you here with us." Added Sargeant Denny Brosh. "My… you sure have grown up a lot since the last time I saw you."

Edward looked at him fiercely. "I hope that's not a short joke, Sargeant— for your sake of course."

"No-no! Of course not sir!" Denny cried out in fear, with his hands raised, as he knew very well how sensitive the ex-alchemist was when height was of concern.

"I thought as much…" Ed snorted, still glaring at him.

"Should I now give you the walkthrough, sir?" Alex said with gentility, successfully culling the younger blonde's volatile temper.

Edward dismissed the Second-Lieutenant and Captain then waited for the Major to begin his debriefing.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Winry dried the sweat from her forehead with a quick sweep from the back of her palm then smiled with utter satisfaction at the last piece of automail equipment she just finished working on. It was a right arm for Mr. Banks who had tragically lost his real one in an on-site accident at the train yard back in Resembool two years before. She had modeled Mr. Banks arm from Ed's last automail design, however, she did leave out the mechanics that made Ed's piece battle-ready. Winry chortled because she had always designed melee-type automail for Edward but she had always kept quiet about it. She picked up the automail arm and wrapped it in canvas then secured it with rope. She picked it up again and placed it in the wooden crate next to her and buried it with sawdust then grabbed some nails and the hammer then sealed the crate shut.

The blonde walked away and picked up the work log from the clipboard mounted on the far wall and looked through the list of names until she found Mr. Banks information. She wrote down the address on a piece of paper then brought it over to we the crate was located at. Winry was going to wait until Ed came back so he could help her carry the heavy crate to the post office. Let him do the heavy lifting. She grinned mischievously at the thought.

"That's the last order!" She muttered with satisfaction then got serious all of a sudden. It really was her last order and after she sent it to its final destination she would be officially out of work. Winry knew that she didn't want to just be a housewife like Gracia and she wasn't ready for children yet… but what if Ed wanted to start a family and for her to take care of their home and children? She'll definitely needed to talk to her husband about it. The blonde stretched her back then headed to the bathroom because a nice hot bath was in order to take the stress away from work.

**oo-OOO-oo**

"—and that's all there is to know, sir."

"Jeez. I was wondering why you three hadn't gone up the ladder." Edward walked around, surveying his new office, then stopped at his desk. He picked up the picture frame that stood near the leather chair and stared at the goofy man and the little girl who were playing together without a care in the world. A contorted smiled appeared on Ed's face.

"We just couldn't bring ourselves to move on and leave this place without a proper person to take back the reins." Alex explained on queue while his baby blue eyes filled with sorrow.

Ed looked at him. "Major… can I ask you something?"

"You can ask me anything."

"Why didn't you work your way up to fill in Hughes's post?"

Alex smiled affectionately at the young man. He knew that Edward was going to ask him that question at some point. "You see Ed… I was disgraced when I ran away from my duties in the Ishvalan war. I was a coward and cowards don't deserve to lead."

The long-haired blonde felt a rush of sympathy for the older man. It was this man's humble sense of honor that made him like him even more. "You're being too harsh on yourself, Major…" He walked next to the tall man and placed a trusting hand on his shoulder. He looked up with fixed golden eyes and a reassuring grin. "Besides you HAVE been running this place since the Bringadier General passed away."

Alex blushed slightly. He cleared his throat and placed his hand on Ed's shoulder, mimicking the younger man's gesture. "Thank you lad for your kind words but I do not concur. You are the best man for the job. I know this and so does Bringadier General Mustang." The faired-skinned man motioned with his eyes at Maes Hughes's picture. "You possess a keen eye and your heart is righteous… just like him."

Edward laughed nervously. He began to feel uncomfortable with the way the conversation was heading. He never had liked to be praised on such a deep level because he had deemed himself unworthy of such praises. The ugliest scars on his body and the automail he still possessed kept reminding him of it.

"Thanks Major…" Ed walked away and sat in the leather seat then picked up Maes's picture one more time. "I'll be keeping this here as a reminder of what true duty and devotion means."

"As you wish, sir."

**oo-OOO-oo**

"Thanks Ed!" Winry said to her husband before planting a chaste kiss on his left cheek.

"Yeah, yeah…" He replied bashfully. "So that was the last order?"

"Yes." Winry answered while looking down at her boots that dangled just a bit off on the tram's metal floor. She returned her gaze to her husband and smiled fondly. "I guess I'm officially a full-time housewife now."

Edward chuckled.

"Hey! What was that for?" Winry asked, offended.

"You're not suited to be a 'full-time housewife' Winry."

The mechanic pouted momentarily. "—so you don't mind me working here in Central?" She said as it was the perfect moment to talk about the subject.

The ex-alchemist had a dumbfounded look on his face. "Winry… what made you think that I would keep you away from your passion?"

The blonde blushed. She wasn't expecting that type of answer from her husband. "I don't know Ed— I thought you wanted a housewife. For me to be more like Gracia." She could see Ed raising an eyebrow in disbelief of what he was hearing. Seeing Ed's reaction made her realize how silly her words actually were.

Edward took one of her hands and clasp it between his own. "Winry, that type of life doesn't suit you. I'd rather see you all covered in grease and sweat than see you behave as the perfect and complacent wife."

"Oh…"

"You have Granny's inheritance money so why don't you do like Al and find a place of your own?" Ed said with tender eyes and a sweet smile.

Winry suddenly retracted her hand and pulled away from Ed's grasp. Her mood suddenly turned sour at the mention of Alphonse's name. She hadn't thought once of her brother-in-law since he left the apartment around two weeks ago.

"Did I say something wrong?" The long-haired blonde asked with concern.

"It's nothing— You're right." She gently placed her hand on Ed's lap. "Will you help me find a place?"

"Again with the silly questions?"

Winry chortled. "Yes! Again with the silly questions."

Ed grinned silly. "We can start looking tomorrow if you want."

"Sure!" The mechanic gave a sugary smile to her husband before kissing him on the lips. "So tell me all about this grease and sweat fantasy of yours…" Winry teased with a smile as she parted away from Ed's lips.

"Winry!" Edward said with a face as bright as a tomato which elicited a warm laugh from his dear wife.

"I love you so much…" She whispered to his ear as she placed her arms around Ed's neck. Winry kept holding him in the warm embrace just before the tram's bell rang, signaling for the next stop.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Alphonse walked over the utility room and dropped the big pile of dirty linens in the laundry basket. He then moved to the washer and picked up a recently washed load of linens. He extended the sheets over some clothing lines that hung across the room and clapped his hands together, creating a catalytic transmutation that accelerated the water molecules impregnated on the fabric, separating them into its gaseous form. He brought the new set of sheets over to the front of the store. He placed them neatly on their rack then sat down on the couch in the small lounge while he waited for the last minutes to pass by before flipping over the "Sorry We're Closed" sign, locking the door and calling it a day. Al looked all around the room, his heart filled with pride as his eyes took in the calm and cozy environment he had created for his alkahestry/alchemy practice.

It had been just over a week since he decided to have a soft opening and the word had spread about the young and talented alchemist that knew how to perform "small miracles" with new approaches on the alchemy field. He was happy with his good fortune because he was worried that his location was too far off from the main action of SoCe.

Many of his clients had been women from the higher echelon of Central's society who had admitted to him that they were attracted to the exclusivity of his location —not too near and not too far away— as they had put it. Apparently his last name had also helped with his growing clientele as the last name Elric had been a household name for quite sometime now— aside from his handsome looks as it had been so kindly pointed out by those beautiful, middle-aged women. A smile appeared on his face as he thought of their sometimes coy, sometimes brash innuendos.

Al's smile turned to a smug. He really did feel great, in fact he had felt better since leaving his brother's apartment a little over two weeks ago. He had left Ed's side with mixed feelings and resentment but those had faded fairly quick because deep inside he just couldn't stay angry at his older brother. A few days after he left, he thought about their fight in the basement of his home. He realized that he had been too hard on his older brother and felt terrible for calling him a liar. It had been clear that Envy was messing with his emotions again and he had a very colorful conversation with the homunculus about it… even though he got a massive headache from the mental stress of fighting with a being that he couldn't physically touch. In the end the fight had helped to cull the Sin— Envy had been quiet since and he was more than happy for it. However Winry was another problem…

Al looked at the time in his wrist watch and noticed that it was ten past six o'clock. He had been so distracted by his thoughts that he forgot to close shop. He got up from the couch and headed towards the door. It was then that he noticed a small figure —clad with what looked like a cowl— standing behind the closing door.

The blonde couldn't tell if the person was a man or a woman under such concealing clothing and that made him nervous. He was already calculating an offensive attack against this person because of the survival instinct that was still left in him from being chased down by all sorts of supposed myths and legends. "I'm sorry but we're closed." He decided to say.

"I've heard that you're the best at 'fixing' people." Interjected the person who carried a very feminine voice from behind the cowl..

Alphonse got tense upon hearing such direct words. "Who are you?" He said in an cautionary tone. "What do you want with me?"

"I mean you no harm Mr. Elric. I'm a defenseless woman who's in desperate need of your help." The mysterious woman said as she pulled back on the hood that covered her face.

The short-haired blonde gasped when he finally saw her face. The poor woman looked like she had been severely beaten and on top of that she sported a deep, sutured cut —most likely created by a slice from a knife— that ran from the crease of the left side of her lip and up towards her ear. Her face was so marred that the only two distinguishable features were her saphire blue eyes and some stray blonde locks of hair that stuck to her forehead—

"It's ok, Mr. Elric. I know I look like a monster… that's the reason why I seek your help, so you can fix me and make me beautiful again."

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A/N: Cliffy. Yes I know. There's going to be a few OCs in this story. R&R! XD


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: This is a short chapter, I know, but another will be uploaded in a couple of days. Thank you all for reading this story.

**Arigato Jaclyn!**

BTW dear readers, search for the story named _Passing Through_ by the lovely jaclynkaileigh. It's a juicy fic for all those who crave EdWin goodness with a heavy dose of angst.

Enjoy!

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Alphonse had to blink a few times —very slowly- because his brain had a hard time processing the situation that he had just been pushed in by a complete stranger. His heart started to beat faster and his body became taut with adrenaline, something he hadn't felt since the incident with Granny.

"So Mr. Elric where do I need to lay?"

"What?" Stammered the short-haired blonde after being snapped out from his thoughts.

"Where shall I lay down?" The battered woman repeated with a tinge of irritation.

"Well…" Alphonse said as he rubbed the back of his neck. "You see… I was in the midst of closing for the day—"

"You don't expect me to come back tomorrow right angel?" The woman interrupted. "I mean, I'm in so much pain as it is and I just ran out of painkillers…" Her eyes welled up with desperation as she took a pause. "Please… please help me."

Alphonse was overwhelmed. If this person would have been a man he would just told him to leave and come back another day but… he was a gentleman after all. He cleared his throat and racked his hair backwards. "Come this way." He said in a nervous tone.

The battered woman followed Alphonse to an ample room in the back of the building that was set for his practice.

"Please sit on the chair and uncover your head." Al explained while pointing to the tan-colored, vinyl-covered medical chair. The woman sat down slowly which told him that she probably had other bodily injuries underneath her odd clothing. She gently pulled back the cowl and Alphonse could see that she wore her light blonde hair short, something between Hawkeye's and Gracia's. He cleared his throat again, a nervous habit he developed a few months after he had gotten his body back. He went around the chair and pulled down a lamp he used for examination and placed it around two feet away from the battered woman's face. "I'm going to turn the light on miss—"

"Swan. Nichole Swan. Nikki for short." The woman said in pain as she forced her torn muscles to form a smile.

"Alphonse. Alphonse Elric… but you already know that." He said bashfully.

The short-haired blonde flipped the switch on, making the woman squint a little as she adjusted to the flood of light hitting her eyes. He carefully examined her beaten face while mentally taking notes about what type of alkahestry techniques he needed to apply to the woman. He came to the conclusion that he needed to apply a healing technique of the cutaneous level to the entirety of her face right along with a deep tissue healing technique to fuse together the skin tissues down to the muscle level around the nasty cut she had on the left side of her face. Alphonse had kept a professional look when examining his patient but he kept asking himself how this woman ended up in such a sorry predicament. Who could do something so barbaric—

"It was my boyfriend. Ex-boyfriend now…" Nikki explained as if she read the blonde's mind.

Alphonse was surprised. He didn't expect this woman to be so sharp. "Did you— have you gone to the police to report him?"

Nichole looked away momentarily. "Let's talk about that after you make me beautiful again, Alphonse."

"Sure." He replied with a forced smile, wondering of he was doing the correct thing in tending to the woman's injuries when he knew nothing about her past.

He left Nichole's side and went to a desk drawer where he got an emerald-green cell, the type that are used in theaters for enhancing the ambiance on a stage. He then moved in front of a table that had all sorts of dried herbs encased in clear glass containers that lay on top of its shiny black surface. Al could feel the woman's eyes on his back while he commenced a transmutation. He clapped his hands together and pressed them onto the cell —burning the pentagram alkahestry array on the cell's surface ever so slightly— creating an etching in the process. He lifted the colored cell, went back to Nikki's side and taped the cell along the corners right around the front of the light source. The room was now covered with the green hue and the pentagram array shone in a lighter tint of green across Nichole's face.

"It's a little off." Al moved the lamp slightly away from her face until the array matched with the overall surface of her face. The blonde could see that the woman had a quizzical look on her face which made him unwind just a little. "I'm using light to 'draw' an array on your face because I don't think it's a good idea to mark your face with ink in the condition you're currently in."

Nikki smiled at him with her eyes. "Thank you." She whispered.

Al felt his face redden but kept explaining about the details of the procedure. "The color green will help with the healing of the superficial bruising while the array itself will take care of mending the cut on the left side of your face." He breathed deeply as he once again clapped his hands to activate the array. He then gently hovered his hands over the marred face. "Ok. I'm going to touch your face. You will feel a strong tingly sensation —like a weak electrical current— coursing through your face. It might hurt a little, depending on your pain tolerance."

"I'll be fine, angel. Just hurry up and fix my face."

Al nodded and touched her face. He kept his eyes fixed on what he could see of her face as the transmutation ran its course just in case there was any signs of distress, but to his surprise she only grunted a little and it was most likely due to the initial shock from the energy of the array coursing throughout her face. The last vestiges of current had just dissipated and it was time to take his hands away from her face. He hesitated a little because now he was going to be able to actually see this woman's face in it's original state. Al gulped slightly and retracted his hands.

The short-haired blonde felt that his breath was literarily taken away. He couldn't help but to be fixated at the sight of her face —a strong jaw, full rosy lips, a delicate nose that perfectly separated two mesmerizing blue orbs of the finest shade of sapphire he had ever seen— in other words, Nichole Swan was gorgeous woman.

"I told you I was beautiful, Alphonse." Nikki said while playfully fluttering her long dark lashes. She stood up slowly and walked towards the closest mirror to examine Al's work on her face. She smiled with perfect teeth at the image that smiled back at her. She looked at Al through the reflection of the mirror showing the alchemist a look of complete satisfaction. "Look Alphonse… I'm beautiful again." She said through her reflected image.

Al couldn't help but to smile at her. He walked towards her and she turned around as he approached her. He just couldn't believe the crazy night he had just been subjected to. Thinking back, he hadn't been through that type of excitement since his days of running around the country while chasing for the Philosopher's Stone. "I haven't finished, Nichole. Your body… He hurt you in other parts of your body too."

The dazzling woman smiled candidly. "I'm not seriously hurt… but I guess I did hit the floor harder than I thought." She responded as she signaled to her buttocks. Al fiercely blushed, eliciting a hearty laugh from the blonde. "A shy one are you?"

Al coughed nervously. "You sure you're ok? I mean, I can perform another transmutation that helps with the soreness on your…"

"Butt." She said teasingly.

"Yes. There." He couldn't be even more red even if he wished to.

"I don't mind getting the full tune up."

The short-haired blonde stood frozen for a second upon hearing those words. He could have sworn he just heard Winry talking through her. "Ok… just stay there while I grab some other equipment." He left the examination room and ran upstairs and into his bedroom. He stood there in the middle of the room —catching his breath— while dragging a hand hard down his mouth and across his chin. He walked towards the dresser, took out the kunai and brought them with him downstairs.

"There you are angel."

Al walked beside her with five kunai in his right hand. "It's part of the procedure and no it's not going to hurt." He said once he noticed the tension in her face.

He briefly looked at the metal knives he now held between his hands remembering that the last time he used them was for sinister purposes. He shook away Granny's contorted face from his mind and focused on the task at hand.

"Take two steps towards me then stop and keep yourself still with your arms close to your body." Nichole did as she was told and Al threw the kunai around her body, creating a circle with them. He kneeled, clapped his hands together, activating the array the same way he did when he restored Pinako back when he snuffed her life. His eyebrows knitted and his mouth turned downwards in a deep scowl as he thought of what he did to the caring old woman.

"Are you alright?"

Al looked up at her, not realizing she had actually seen him scowl. "I'm alright. Just tired from the transmutations." He dislodged the kunai from the wood floor then stood up. "All done."

Nichole touched her buttocks right where her coccyx was located and was pleasantly surprised that it didn't hurt. She sat down on the medical chair to try and put some pressure on the area and confirmed that she was completely healed when it didn't hurt to sit. "You're pretty good angel." She stood up and walked towards the alchemist just stopping a few inches in front of him. "I have something to confess." She cupped his left cheek with her right hand. "I don't have the money to pay for what you have done for me, but, give me some time and I'll make sure to pay you back." She finished her words with a sugary smile.

Al grabbed the hand that was touching his face and held it between his hands. "It's ok Miss Swan. You just gave me a night to remember and that's enough payment to call it an Equivalent Exchange." He smiled playfully. "—but if you want to make it an Equivalent Exchange plus one, then how about we go out to dinner sometime?"

He just couldn't believe the words that came out of his mouth but he didn't care. He was too curious to know more about Nichole Swan and her enigmatic past.

* * *

A/N: Short but a good base for things to come. I hope Miss Swan was to your liking. There will be more OCs to come… Constructive criticism and kind comments are always appreciated and encouraged. Thanks again for taking your time reading this fic.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N:Here's the next chapter and posted before a week. I will try to keep the pace because I'm under a time crunch. I will be going on hiatus soon (posted this in my profile) and want to finish a section of this story as volume 1 before I go. I thought I had 4-5 chapters left but it seems more like 8-10. Yeah my forecasts suck.

Now the story is actually going the direction I wanted. I'm so excited for it because now you get to read about Ed as an investigator. Yay! Hughes would be so proud!

**Thank you for your dedication to this story, Jaclyn!**

One more thing. Yesterday I read the latest chapter for _Soul Mechanics_ by **BuggyNess**. I strongly recommend you to read it. It's a fantastic story post BH and set around the Sacred Star of Milos storyline. Very original and creative.

Back to my story… Enjoy!

* * *

Edward heard two clear, evenly paced knocks on the door. "Come in, Major!" He said loud enough for the Major to hear while he glanced through some old reports on the arson case that happened at the Warehouse District a little over two months before.

"Good morning Lieutenant Colonel Elric." Alex said in singsong.

"Ed." The long-haired blonde interjected, still keeping his eyes on the case file.

"Very well, Edward." The gentle giant repeated in his own way, making the younger man sigh in frustration.

"What brings you to my office, Major?" Ed asked while masking his frustration under the guise of indifference… was this how the Bastard felt? He suddenly stopped what he was doing shuddering at the mere thought of comparison between him and the General.

"There has been a new breakthrough in the case of the Warehouse District fire, sir."

"Go on." The younger blonde said as he straightened his posture on his chair.

"One of our undercover agents managed to retrieve data from a small sleeper cell composed of Ishvalan insurgents that were hiding in the South of Central. Apparently these Ishvalans had been in cohorts with the descendants of the Mariano family from Northern Aurego. The new piece of intel shows that the Mariano's —with the aid of the insurgents— were able to smuggle in from Xing a cargo of a potent herbal concoction that is supposed to enhance a person's alchemical power when such concoction is injected into the blood stream."

"Enhancement… like the Scarlet(1)?" Ed asked with worry.

"Similar to Scarlet, sir, and even more dangerous than it too. The difference between this new drug when compared to Scarlet comes from the hazardous side effects that the herbal mixture possess." Armstrong added while he placed a set of photos on Edward's desk for him to see. "As you can see Edward, when compared to Scarlet, the Xinguese concoction is quite dangerous indeed."

The long-haired blonde had to keep his composure steady as the initial shock of seeing deformed bodies with oozing fluids rattled through his brain. "These people died from alchemical rebounds." He muttered, as he put a hand over his mouth, suddenly thinking about the transgression he committed against his own mother.

"That is correct. This is the end result for a person who used the drug for a long period of time." Alex narrowed his eyes in disgust as he looked at the images upside down from where he was standing.

"So here's a promise of alchemical prowess at the cost of your own life…" Ed said while he pinched the bridge of his nose. "What happens before death?"

"Some notes attached to a research file describes that the concoction is highly addictive and that a person that goes on without the drug even for a day will suffer extreme withdrawal symptoms which unfortunately lead to insanity then to rebound… but that is if they don't take their lives in the first place." The mustachioed man handed out another set of photographs and the research notes he was referring to. "Here."

"This is bad." Ed said as he observed the people in the photos. "They looked rabid." He pursed his lips and laid the new set of photographs on top of the first. "Where were these taken at?"

"Second-lieutenant Daniels took the files from a filing cabinet inside the sleeper cell. He told me that the layout of the cell itself was too small to have held the type of experimentation shown in these photographs… so the location for such terrible experiments still remains unknown."

"Shit." The Lieutenant Colonel blurted out. He went through the files he was glancing through before Armstrong interrupted him and found the page he was looking for. "The unknown substance collected from the ashes…"

"It probably is related to the enhancer if it is not the enhancer itself." Alex muttered behind his mustache.

Edward drummed his fingers on the desktop while he now looked at an old police report from Vice that was placed to the far right of his desk. "They were tailing the Mariano's movements for months and were going to move in on them the day that the warehouse was caught on fire…"

"—and Vice transferred the case to us once they determined that the fire was caused by alchemical arrays."

"Yeah I know…" Ed concurred. "I wonder if the Mariano's had been informed of an imminent raid?" He paused as he processed all the given information. "Major, I think they will be on the move sometime soon." He said, trying to explain his conjecture after a long pause. "If this concoction is as hot as it seems to be they probably are getting desperate to introduce it into the market ASAP." The long-haired blonde shifted his gaze to the marked location on the area map for south of Central that was pinned to the bulletin board located on the side wall. His eyes narrowed as he realized that the old Ishvalan cell location was close to the neighborhood area where his younger brother currently lived.

The Lieutenant-Colonel suddenly stood up and walked towards the door but not before grabbing his black-wool, military-issued trench coat. "Major, can you tell Sergeant Brosh to have a car ready for me? I'm going to talk with Al." He said as he looked at the Major with hard eyes. "Maybe he can keep us informed of any odd developments around the neighborhood."

"Do you think that's wise, sir?" Alex replied with worry.

"He's an alchemist and an alkahestrist, Major. I'm sure that someone will try to peddle this 'wonder drug' to him." He turned around an exited this office in a rush.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Ed kept looking out the window while he sat slightly slumped down on the back seat of the moving car. He could feel how his brow kept slowly but steadily furrowing and his mood fouling with each block the car passed by.

"Are you ok there Ed— sir?" Sergeant Brosh asked in good nature while he looked at the blonde through the rear-view mirror, but was countered with a nasty glare from the ex-alchemist.

"Keep your eyes on the road, Sergeant." Ed chided.

"Y-yes sir… I was just worried about—"

"Mind your own business, Sergeant." Ed barked. "—and don't make me repeat myself or there will be consequences." He added with surgical precision thus ending a possible conversation between them for the rest of the way to Al's place.

Edward didn't even wait for the car to make a full stop before he got out of it. "Wait in the car, Sergeant… and keep the car running. I won't take long." He said as he walked away, leaving the poor subordinate feeling confused and berated.

"Soft opening my ass." Ed's mood took a dive for the worse when he saw that his brother's alkahestry practice was fully operational.

It had been almost three months since he last seen Alphonse. The younger Elric had left his apartment a few days after their fight inside the building he was currently standing before. He was still upset with Al with what had transpired between them —and rightly so— because the holidays and a new year had already rolled out and the younger Elric hadn't even made an effort to seek him out. It still hurt him deeply how his adored little brother had called him a liar simply because he was too worried about him.

He clearly remembered how he wanted to go after his younger brother right after he left the apartment but Winry stopped him, telling him to just give his baby brother some space, that "he'll come back to him whenever he was prepared to do so"… but it never happened. In the end he had ended coming over to Al, using the arson case as a pathetic excuse to engage in conversation with him again.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Al was carefully adding a few drops of a tincture he had developed a few days before into a spray bottle full with water when the loud buzzer from the doorbell suddenly broke his concentration. He ended up adding a squirt of the tincture into the bottle, rendering the mixture useless.

He sighed with irritation and pulled his agenda close, he read the entries for the day and verified that he had no scheduled appointments that he could had missed in the first place. The buzzer rang a second and third time when he finally got up from the stool and walked towards the front door to see who was the insisting person who was relentlessly abusing the poor doorbell. He already had a few specially selected words for this person if such person was there for soliciting purposes.

"Ed…" The short-haired blonde managed to say after he saw the imposing figure of his older brother wearing his full military attire accompanied by a reprimanding look.

"Long time no see little bro." The elder brother said with a rueful smile to his stunned younger brother.

"Yeah…" Al replied nervously while rubbing the back of his neck.

"Won't you let me in?" Ed finally said breaking the odd silence that enveloped them both.

"Sure, Brother… come right in." He answered tensely. "Right this way."

Edward walked in and quickly looked around the exquisitely adorned lounge area which displayed a perfect balance between Xinguese and traditional Amestrian decor. "Pretty nice, Al." He said as he picked up a porcelain vase with an intricate dragon pattern. "I sure would have loved to have been at the opening…" He added sardonically.

"Ed…"

"Three months Al… three fucking months…" Ed glared at his brother then placed the vase back in its place. He felt that his anger was escalating. "A shitty call on the holidays and a turn down for New Year's eve…" He added, with hurt entwined in his words.

"Brother…" Al had to look away because he couldn't stand that hurtful look on his brother's face.

"What do you have to say to that, Alphonse!" Ed continued with his rant. He could already feel his eyes beginning to burn as he fought with the urge to cry.

Al became defensive. "It's… complicated."

"Complicated!" Edward yelled as his anger escalated even higher. "What the hell is so fucking complicated that—"

"Good afternoon, gentlemen." Nichole said as she entered the lounge area from the hall.

The long-haired blonde just stood in place with a flabbergasted look on his face as he saw a very unfamiliar blonde walk past him, standing next to his younger brother as she planted a chaste kiss on his cheek. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Edward Elric." She said after she moved away from Al's face.

"Brother, this is Nichole Swan." He said bashfully. "We've been seeing each other for about three months now…"

Ed didn't know how to react after the barrage of emotions he had put himself through and the sudden news that Al had a woman —who by the looks of it was apparently was living under his roof— wasn't helping either. He just kept shifting his eyes between the couple since at the moment he wasn't able to speak or think coherently.

"Edward, would you like some tea? Coffee perhaps?" Nikki asked with a sugary smile.

"Coffee." Ed managed to respond in monotone.

"Great! Coffee it is!" She chirped then gave a reassuring look at Alphonse before she left his side. "Now you two behave yourselves." She added before exiting the lounge and heading to a small kitchen located behind the lounge area.

"Is she… is that the reason…" Edward spewed, still in disbelief.

"Please take a seat, Ed." Al walked to the nearest couch and sat, gesturing his older brother to do the same. "Brother, Nichole is not the reason for not coming over on the holidays or New Year's."

"Then what is it?" Ed asked in a calmer tone as he sat down next to his baby brother.

"We were pretty much at each other's throats the day that we fought— And I left the apartment without much notice or explanations… Ed, I had been upset at the time and quite frankly I needed time to cool off." He looked at the carpet that covered part of the wood flooring thinking that he had needed time to "cool off" the homunculus that lived within him.

The lounge suddenly became too quiet, making both brothers feel quite uncomfortable with the deafening silence.

"You really hurt my feelings, Al." Ed said, breaking the odd silence that surrounded them.

"I know…" Al fisted his hands around his knees, squeezing them hard in the process. "I'm sorry." He looked at his older brother straight in the eyes. "Please forgive me."

Edward didn't respond immediately, instead he looked at him with concealed worry. He was noticing a pattern of repetitive behavior coming from his younger brother —which he didn't like— but he wasn't going to voice it out yet. Instead he focused on the conversation at hand. Was he going to forgive him? Of course he was, because he loved Al no matter what but still… "Al, remember how we used to fight about everything when we we little?"

Al's face lightened a bit. "Heh, yes— Even about the stupidest things."

"I guess this is the 'adult' version of out childhood quarrels." Edward added with a goofy grin.

"Yeah…" Al smiled and placed a comforting hand on top of Ed's knee.

"Freshly brewed coffee coming right up!"

Both brothers heard Nichole's voice approaching the lounge. Al stood up and grabbed the heavy tray from her hands. He placed it on top of the coffee table and handed Ed his coffee.

"It's loaded with sugar, just the way you like it." Nikki said with a grin.

"Yeah. Thanks." Edward answered, still eyeing with distrust, the woman who apparently had stolen his baby brother's heart.

The ex-alchemist took a large zip from the mug the placed it back on the table. Al noticed the type of body language that his brother used when he wanted to confide something with him. "So Ed. What is the reason for your unannounced visit?"

"I came here to discuss a case with you." Ed eyed his brother and then his girlfriend or whatever she was for Al. "Miss Swan, can you leave us alone for a moment?"

"Sure, Edward." Nichole smiled politely and left the room.

"What am I good for, Brother?" Al asked as he leaned forward on the couch, posing his elbows on top of his knees.

The long-haired blonde made sure that the short-haired woman had left the room before engaging in conversation with his brother.

"Al, did you hear anything about the fire at the Warehouse District?" He said with a stern look which Al took as Ed getting into his officer mode.

"Yes, I heard about it on the radio. They said there was an explosion of some inflammable materials."

"More like explosive alchemical reactions."

"Really? So that's what really happened." The short-haired blonde asked with piqued interest.

"The police were keeping an eye on the Mariano's for a while but someone blew the whistle and the fire followed."

"The Mariano's? Aren't they related to organized crime?So how did you end up with a case file like that?" Al grabbed his mug and took a sip of his coffee.

"The alchemical arson was part of it but the main reason was that the crime lab found traces of an unknown substance, none like they have seen before." Ed said then followed Al's suit by picking up his coffee mug and drinking a good portion of it.

"Oh… do you guys know what that substance is?"

"It's similar to Scarlet but this one is derived from a herbal mixture that comes from Xing."

Al's brow furrowed. "An alchemical enhancer…"

"Did you ever hear about an alchemical enhancer when you lived in Xing?"

"No… so what does the concoction do?" Al asked with curiosity.

Edward cleared his throat as he tried to wipe away the images of the poor people that had lost their lives due to the experimentation with the dangerous drug. "Well… you become immediately hooked once you try it. You get strong withdrawal symptoms if you stop injecting it —even if it is for just a day— then you slowly go insane after each use then die a horrible death by alchemical rebound— That is if you don't kill yourself first."

Alphonse shuddered. "Who would use something so evil in the first place?"

"Well Scarlet is too difficult to create so that makes it way too expensive and apparently the newcomer is way cheaper to create. Then there's always the alchemist that needs to excel or needs a boost to do a better job— like passing the State Alchemist entrance exam or re-certification…"

"I get your point. So what do you need from me, Brother?" Al said as he leaned back on the couch.

"The intel we got about the herbal concoction came from an undercover agent who got the info out from an Ishvalan sleeper cell that was hiding about six blocks South East from where you live." Ed picked the coffee mug again and took another sip. "These Ishvalans were the ones that smuggled the Xinguese cargo into Amestris and into Central. If my calculations are correct the Mariano's will try to contact them again to see if they can smuggle in another shipment of this drug." He started to fidget with the mug in his hands. "What I need you to do is listen to any conversations that might pop around the area."

Alphonse smiled which took Ed completely by surprise. "What are you smiling for?" He asked defensively.

"This is like old times." The the younger Elric answered.

Edward dropped his guard and replaced it with a toothy grin. "You're right little bro. I guess that's something that also will never change between us." He said with ease, feeling that this case might be the thing that will close the gap between them. "So are you in or what?"

The younger Elric countered Ed's toothy grin with one of his own. "You betcha!"

"Good to hear!" Ed said with relief. He took a look at the time on his silver pocket watch and his eyes became wide as saucers. "Oh fuck…" He stood up and quickly headed towards the front door. "I gotta go… I don't want Sergeant Brosh to die inside the car from carbon dioxide poisoning."

"What do you mean?" Al asked with a quizzical look on his face as he stood up from the couch and walked next to his brother.

"I told him to keep the car running because my visit here was going to be a quick one." He answered impishly.

"Brother!"

"Gotta go!" Ed gave his younger brother a much needed hug and left.

Al stood on the door waiting to see his brother off. "You'll never change, Ed." He muttered.

Edward rolled down the window as the car was pulling out. "Do come over sometime soon… and bring your girlfriend with you!" He shouted out loud as the car drove away.

"Sure thing!" The younger Elric shouted back then chortled as he watched the car disappear around the street corner.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Nichole peeked into the lounge area when she heard the two brothers at the front door. She didn't know that Edward had been assigned to the Mariano case which was something that she didn't expect. Her eyes squinted as she knew that she had to play her cards well because now there was a chance she could exact revenge on the bastard that had dare cut her beautiful face.

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A/N: My beta wrote to me that she's never seen a storyline quite like this one and quite frankly that has been my goal since the beginning. I do hope you agree with her words.

I want to thank you all who reviewed or PM me about this story. Your input was greatly welcomed! I hope to hear more from you all!

Planning on burning the midnight oil!

(1) Scarlet is pretty much the same as red water from the first anime.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Hi everyone! Yes another chapter is up. BTW I've changed the title to this fic because I already planned to split it up. Only the title and the cover image have changed. I'm really trying my hardest to get this story finished before I move.

**Thanks Jaclyn!**

Enjoy!

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"Sergeant. Please take me to Midtown."

"Yes Edward-sir!" Denny replied with a smile.

"What's with the smile, Sergeant?" Ed asked, surprised with the older blonde's high spirits even though he had just been subjected to one of his outbursts.

"Um… well… looks like you got what you came in for." He replied with a telltale smirk.

"Pft… whatever." Ed's face reddened with indignation. "Just keep your eyes on the road." He said sternly at the face that was reflected on the rear-view mirror. Ed shifted his gaze to the moving scenery. Does he really wears his heart on his sleeve? Knowing himself that probably was the case but he didn't care because he was again on speaking terms with his adored little brother. Ed couldn't help but to smile at the thought of it.

**oo-OOO-oo**

"Hey there you are." Al said when he found Nikki upstairs, nestled on the reclinable chair while holding a mug between her delicate hands. He suddenly became concerned with the somber look she sported. "What's wrong?"

"Baby…" She glanced at him then kept her blue eyes fixed on the contents in the mug.

The short-haired blonde kneeled in front of her and looked at her straight in the eyes. "What is it, Nichole?"

"I heard the conversation with your brother… I'm so sorry, Al." She sobbed.

"Don't feel so bad about that, Nichole. It's not like we talked about something that was extremely confidential." He held her hands affectionately.

"—but that's it, baby. I know what your brother is looking for."

"What?" He said, astonished.

"There's a lot of things I've been wanting to tell you… but I was scared to do so." She sobbed again.

Al's eyes narrowed a bit. He remembered how evasive she had been the second and third time he asked her about what had happened to her that night she walked in with her face cut and covered in bruises, how Nichole had asked for time saying that it was too soon to talk about the incident. He always assumed that she had been too traumatized or ashamed to talk but now he sees that has not been the case. Now that he thought about it, Nichole had actually walked into his shop a couple of days after listening on the radio the news about a massive fire in the Warehouse District. He swallowed deeply. He knew he was in for an unpleasant conversation. Al gently let go of her hands and stood up, opting to sit on the nearby couch. He inhaled and exhaled slowly, keeping his emotions in check. "Ok. What does that night has to do with what Ed and I were talking about?"

Nikki choked on a sob, knowing very well that she was threading dangerous ground with Al. "The Mariano that your brother is investigating… his name is Bruno and he was my ex-boyfriend—"

"That was the son of a bitch that hurt you?" Al interjected. His brow furrowed when he came to the stark realization that this girl —his girl— had been mixed with people of the underworld.

"Al, baby… please just let me explain." The blonde said in a panicky tone when she saw Alphonse was rapidly becoming upset.

"Ok. Explain." His stern tone made the girl wince slightly.

Nikki pursed her lips before she gained the courage to talk. "Al… I used to work at The Gala… I was a cigarette girl there—" She saw Al scowl at the mention of her previous job title. "It was a decent paying job and quite frankly I needed the money."

The alchemist ran a hand across his mouth then sighed in exasperation. "Nichole—"

"No, baby. I would never!" The blonde cut him off mid sentence, getting really scared with how Alphonse was taking her recount. "I'm not that kind of girl."

"Aren't you?" He blurted out which he immediately regretted. Since he started dating Nichole she really hadn't shown any type of questionable or sleazy behavior, besides… he was the last person that should judge a person for their questionable choices in life. He bent forward, leaning the weight of his upper body on his bent elbows. With fingers entwined together, he waited for her to continue.

"I've met Bruno last year." Nikki kept staring at the now cold liquid which sloshed slightly in her trembling hands. She smiled bitterly at the reflected image. "What I can say? I was a very impressionable eighteen year old— heh. Seems like a lifetime ago…" She glanced at him. "Bruno was a charmer and quite the gentleman…"

Al saw a sad, regretful smile appear on Nikki's face. "Why did you get involved with a guy like that?"

"Because I was deeply in love with him." Her answer both surprised him and made him slightly jealous.

"You must have known he was involved in… illegal businesses." The short-haired blonde said as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Actually I didn't, baby. I mean the girls I used to work with had warned me about him but I just didn't want to listen. You see people always talk…"

"Nichole. I just can't believe you were this naive."

"—but I was Al… and that was my downfall." Nikki replied, unconsciously running a hand down her left cheek. "I was a really stupid girl."

**oo-OOO-oo**

"Oh, hi Ed." Winry said as she closed the front door. "You're home early."

Edward who was casually reading the newspaper stood up and helped his wife with the heavy toolbox. "Seriously Win, why don't you just leave this at your shop?"

Winry smiled at him, teasingly. "Then I wouldn't be able to carry all my precious wrenches with me."

"Heaven's forbid you don't have your weapons —I mean your tools— handy…" He hauled the toolbox to the spare room.

"I gotta keep them near just in case I need to give you a quick tune up." She quipped, laying down where Ed was previously seating. She grabbed the newspaper and began browsing through it.

"Or cause me a concussion." Ed replied as he walked back into the living room. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" She answered sarcastically. "I too like to keep up with the current news and events that happen in the city I live in."

Edward chuckled. "So you want to keep informed with all the recent news and events?" He said with a smug smile. "How about the story of a certain little brother who happens to have a girlfriend that a certain older brother didn't know about until a few hours ago?"

Winry stared at Ed wide eyed as she laid the newspaper on her lap. "You don't mean?"

"He has a girlfriend, Winry… a girlfriend! —and I think she's living with him."

The blonde was shocked beyond belief. "—and how do you know about this?"

Ed smiled nervously. "I went over to his place."

"Ed…"

"It's not what you think Winry! I went over there to discuss a case with him."

"Really?" She said derisively. "I thought you couldn't discuss classified information with civilians."

"Winry, do you think that the stupid bureaucracy will stop me from asking Al for his help? Besides that never stopped me before…" He said in a petulant tone.

Winry put a hand on her forehead and sighed with frustration. "Edward, you're not a child anymore. You have an Officer's rank now. You know you can't be so reckless."

"I'm planning to hire his help as a private contractor. It will be all legal." He smirked.

Winry rolled her eyes. "Sure, Ed. Whatever you say…" She stood up and went to the kitchen. When she came back she handed a glass with iced tea to her husband. "So how's Al's girlfriend?"

"Well… I was too shocked with the sudden discovery that I really didn't talk to her much— but she's really pretty." Ed chortled.

"What's so funny?"

"She has blonde hair and blue eyes— I guess we have the same taste in women." He said nonchalantly.

Winry kept a casual face upon hearing such words, not knowing if she should be worried or relieved about the news.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Al had his head between his hands by the time Nikki finished with her story. He kept staring blankly at the wood flooring underneath him as he tried to piece back together the barrage that were his thoughts and emotions about the girl that kept crying just a few feet away from him. He felt like he should chastise himself for not turning Nikki down when his instincts told him he should have… but really, what was he to do under such strange circumstances? When he saw the despair in her blue eyes he knew immediately that he wasn't going to turn her away, not until he had tended to her wounds. It had been a fair and rational decision but what hasn't been rational was how he had decided to asked her out afterwards. What was he thinking? He closed his eyes and sighed, thinking of his penchant about picking up strays.

"Baby…"

The woman's words snapped him back to the reality. He looked up and saw her distraught figure. Her beautiful azure eyes were muddied by the running mascara and her rosy lips were as dry as a withering flower. He couldn't help but think she looked like a broken doll. A broken doll… he couldn't help but to sneer. "A broken doll and a monster." He told himself, thinking that they were two of a kind. He wanted to be mad at her, stay mad at her but he just couldn't. It would be an hypocrisy if he did so. So she made some bad choices in life? So she was a gullible girl who was thrown in with the snakes… at least she had come clean with who she was. Not him, he was and will always be more tainted than she could ever be.

Al kept staring at her with sad olive eyes. She was scared indeed, scared of what he might think, of what he might do. If this conversation would have taken place a few weeks before he would have parted ways with her but now that was not the case because since day one Nichole Swan had really made an impact in his life. He cared deeply for her and his heart was big enough to be able to accept her even with the excess baggage she had been carrying for a while now. He stood up and kneeled in front of her just as he did before she revealed her besmirched past. He grabbed her hands again and looked at her with candor. "Nichole… I'm so sorry for what you have been through."

"Y-you forgive me?" She said between sobs.

"What's there to forgive? The Nichole I know is a kind, cheerful and sassy young woman… so what if you screwed up in the past? We all have in one way or another. Besides… we care deeply for one another and that's all that really matters now."

Nikki's eyes welled up again but this time with tears of happiness. "Oh Al-baby!" She placed the mug down by the foot of the recliner and hugged the kneeling figure. She searched for his lips and pressed a hot and wet kiss on them. She slid off the recliner while she pushed Al back with her petite frame until she straddled his hips. The alchemist looked at her mesmerizing blue orbs and ran a hand through her pale blonde hair, bringing her lips to his in what became a wantonly kiss.

* * *

A/N: I don't really care for OCs in fics but I have to admit that I actually am enjoying writing Nikki... Do not worry! This is a Mary Sue / Gary Stu-free fic. XD R&R Thanks!


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Thank you everyone who has been so kind as to leave a review.

I've been chatting with some fanfic writers here on Fanfiction dot net about the lack of reviews from our dear readers. Reviews are a great motivator for us who dare take the step to write and share with you new worlds and POVs within a fandom that you love and cherish. Just remember that fanfic writers out there take a good chunk of their personal time to pour their hearts and souls on their fics and all for your viewing pleasure. Reviews can be a helpful tool for the flow of content in a story and yes many of us take constructive criticism seriously. So review and encourage a writer to keep amusing you with their amazing imagination.

**Jaclyn, thanks as always!**

Enjoy!

* * *

"Good morning, Edward." Second-Lieutenant Maria Ross greeted as she stepped into his office. "Here's some requisitions pending, sir." She placed a stack of folders in the inbox tray but her eyes quickly darted to the empty outbox tray. "Sir…" She said, as she looked back to the blonde. "Are those yesterday's reports you're currently working on?"

Ed took his eyes away from the document he was working on to look at her concerned face. "Yes they are. Very perceptive of you." He answered with utter sarcasm which made the Lieutenant frown slightly at him. "I'm sorry…" He quickly apologized for his brash comment.

Maria's frown eased and a small smile appeared on her face. "Sir?"

"Yes?"

"We DO need all paperwork to be ready for HQ by the end of the day."

The Lieutenant-Colonel drummed his fingers on the desktop as he glared between the mess of papers on top of his desk and the infernal inbox tray. It had only been three months since he started working in the Intelligence Division and he already was abhorring that part of the job where he had to sit, read and sign his name for every stupid little detail that went on in the department. So-fucking-annoying. He looked at the tray again and shuddered… he had so much work left to do. His mouth curled downwards. There had to be a way to cut corners… "Call Scieska!" He suddenly cried out.

Maria blinked in confusion. "Sir… she has been relocated to another section within the division, one that is not directly related with our department.

"I don't care. Just find her and bring her to my office." Ed spat.

"Yes, sir." The brunette turned around and left his office.

The long-haired blonde ran both hands across his face once he heard the gentle click on the door. He let the air out of his lungs —slowly— while he reminded himself that there was no way in hell that he was going to end up like the Bastard. Nope. Never. He would rather drink milk with gusto three-times-a-day for the rest of his life than to be a push-paper, brown-noser douche bag like his dear C.O.

"Edward?" Maria said as she peeked her head inside his office, making the blonde almost jump from his chair with the sudden intrusion.

"What is it now?" He said, glaring at her.

"Your brother is waiting on the line. Should I patch him through?"

"Please." He answered in a tired tone.

"Hi Al!" Edward said cheerfully, completely turning around his bad mood, once he heard his brother's voice on the other side of the line. "What's up?"

"Brother, I have some information about the case you might find interesting."

The long-haired blonde straightened up in his chair. "So soon?"

"Well… yes." Al laughed nervously on to the receiver.

"O—kay… can you come in today?"

"I'm completely booked today, Ed. How about tomorrow morning?"

"Sounds good lil' bro." He said with a smile. "Be here by eight."

"No problem, Brother. Bye now!"

"Bye Al." He placed the receiver back in place and stretched his back before standing up. He walked towards the window and looked absentmindedly at the busy street just below Central Command. A rasp on the door broke his contemplation. "Come in." He returned to his seat.

"Hello Edward." Scieska said in a timid tone. "The Second-Lieutenant said you needed to discuss something with me."

"That's right." Ed said with a mischievous grin. "Congratulations! You've just been promoted!"

"Me?" She answered perplexed as she pointed a finger at herself.

"Yes Scieska. You'll be working for me now."

"Ok, great!" She smiled bashfully. "I guess I'll go pick my stuff now—"

"There's no time for that." The blonde replied. "You see all the paperwork sitting on my desk and on the inbox tray?"

"Um yes?" She replied with a confused look.

"Well I need you to read all of it for me— Quickly."

"But sir those are confidential documents!"

"That's all technicality. Just go ahead and read them anyway… By the end of the day you'll give me a detailed summary of the content within the documents so all I'll have to do is sign them." Ed explained with a proud look on his face.

Scieska's shoulders slumped deep on her petite frame. "Oh, not again…" She cried out.

"Get used to it, my dearest Scieska, because you are now my secretary —slash— personal assistant —slash— go-to-girl!" He said with wink while the girl felt like her soul was going to squeeze out from from her body from the crushing pressure of her new "promotion".

**oo-OOO-oo**

Al hung up the phone and looked at Nikki with a loving smile. "We'll meet with Ed tomorrow at eight."

Nichole looked at Al expectantly.

"What is it Nichole?"

"Why didn't you tell your brother that it was I who has the information he seeks?"

"Well…" Al rubbed the back of his neck. "He can get ill-tempered sometimes."

"He will get upset with me, won't he?" She answered with worry.

"Let's just cross that bridge when we get there." He answered with a reassuring smile.

The girl approached Al and hugged his broad chest. "Ok, baby…" She pressed her face to his chest and smiled triumphantly because she was now a step closer to exacting her revenge on Bruno.

**oo-OOO-oo**

"Your brother is here, Ed." Said a very tired and already overworked Scieska.

"Great! Tell him to come in." Ed replied with a wide smile.

"Sure thing… what about the young woman that's with him?"

"What? Tell her to wa—"

"Actually Brother she is the person who has the information you need." Alphonse intruded as he stepped inside his brother's office.

The elder Elric's eyes narrowed. "Scieska, ask her to come in."

"Please sit down." Edward said to the young couple. His golden eyes shifted between the blondes before he leaned forward on his chair. "So Al says you have confidential information regarding the Mariano case." He added with a stern voice.

"Yes I do Edward—"

"Lieutenant-Colonel." He said flatly, making his younger brother glare at him for the rude remark.

"Yes, Lieutenant-Colonel, I have information on Bruno Mariano and the Xinguese enhancer."

Ed placed his elbows on the desk and interlaced his fingers. "I'm all ears."

Nichole cleared her throat. "Bruno Mariano was the fencer in Central who was in charge of introducing Qíjì or 'miracle' as the Xinguese dealers called the concoction. It is indeed a powerful herbal enhancer that is created from certain flowers that only grow high in the mountain range between Xing and Drachma."

"Qíjì…" Ed muttered as his lips pressed together to form a flat line.

"Bruno is a distant nephew of the powerful Mauricio Mariano… and he was my ex-boyfriend."

The Lieutenant-Colonel's eyes widened with shock before his brow furrowed with anger upon hearing the information. He sent a reproaching look at his younger brother who in turn shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "How long we're you two together?"

"About a year." She replied uncomfortably.

"You know quite a lot about what your lover—"

"Brother…" Al warned.

"I mean ex-boyfriend was doing." He replied sardonically.

Nichole's eyes filled with tears. "You're absolutely right Lieutenant-Colonel. I do know too much for my sake— He tried to kill me because of it." She rubbed the left side of her face. "I barely escaped his wrath and kept hidden for days after the fire incident… before I seeked help from your kind brother." She took Al's hand in hers.

Ed was as equally perplexed as he was angry upon the words he was hearing. He could feel a headache gently nestling in his temples.

"I— She came into the shop a few days after the incident with her face all covered in bruises and a nasty cut on the left side of the face." The short-haired blonde said in her defense.

It took all of Ed's willpower not to scream at his younger brother right then for getting involved with low-lifes. Really… what was his problem with picking up strays? He gritted his teeth then sighed. He looked at Nikki and gestured her to continue.

"Bruno had confronted his uncle and had asked him to give him more responsibilities— If you know what I mean. His uncle had agreed and decided to put him in charge of smuggling the Qíjì." She paused and cast her eyes downwards. "I was a stupid girl that fell in love with a gangster." Her tears were now cascading down her cheeks. "I did everything Bruno asked of me because I was madly in love with him…"

"How did you first get acquainted with Bruno?"

"I met him at The Gala."

"The nightclub?" Ed asked.

Nikki took a handkerchief from her purse and wiped her tears. "Yes. I was a cigarette girl."

"Of course you were." He said between clenched teeth as he glared at Alphonse.

"Everything was going fine but Bruno got greedy. He had decided to betray the Ishvalan mercenaries he had hired to smuggle the first shipment through Ishval. He had said to me that 'That is what those filthy dogs deserved'… but that's not true. Many of my coworkers are of Ishvalan descent so I know firsthand that they are a kind and beautiful people—"

"Ok. Ok." Ed interjected, tired of hearing that stupid girl's yapping. He looked at Alphonse with distraught thinking that his little brother deserved much better than that girl. He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to relieve the pressure mounting on his head. "The fire. Did you know how what happened?"

"I was at Bruno's penthouse when it happened. He came in later that night with his clothes and face all covered in grime, accusing me of betraying him." She rubbed her left cheek again. "He said that I ratted him out with 'those Ishvalan whores' and that 'the whores tipped the mercenaries off' and that 'the fucking dogs brought drug-crazed alchemists to the warehouse to get rid of them'." She sobbed violently at the memory. "He launched against me and started hitting me… then took out his pocket knife. He wanted to cut my throat with it but I fought him hard— He managed to cut the left side of my face… which Al fixed with his amazing alchemy." Nikki leaned against Alphonse's shoulders and wailed uncontrollably.

Edward was completely speechless at that point.

"I never wanted this… any of it!" Nichole said as she regained her composure. "Bruno used me… he used the love I had for him for his own selfish gain."

The room became eerily quiet.

"I know Bruno asked for three shipments to be made." Nikki added as she broke the silence in the office. "I overheard him saying that Ishval was his first alternative then came South City via Aerugo."

"South City?" Ed said with shock. "There's no way the shipment would cross the border."

"Bruno gloated that 'The Mariano's had bought South Command long ago'.

"Shit. Shit. Shit!" The long-haired blonde cursed out loud. "Lieutenant!" He shouted.

"Yes sir?" Maria asked when she stepped in.

"Please have Sergeant Brosh contact the Major then come back here and keep watch of the lady." He looked at his brother with fury. "Al. You and I are going to have a private talk right now."

"Brother…"

"NOW I SAID!" Ed snarled.

Alphonse stiffened but managed to stand up and follow his older brother into the next room.

**oo-OOO-oo**

"Al, please alchemically seal this room for me."

The short-haired blonde nodded and did as told.

"What the hell was that!" Ed yelled at his brother once the alchemical reaction had been completed and the small conference room became hermetically sealed.

"Calm down Brother!"

"Calm down?" Ed said between clenched teeth. "Do you know in how much fucking trouble you're in?" He raked his hand through his tied up hair, dragging his long bangs along with the movement. "You've technically made yourself an accomplice to that-that—" He groaned in frustration while his eyes glowered at his younger brother. "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU AL?"

"You're overreacting Ed!" Al yelled back. "You didn't even let her finish!"

"She pretty much admitted her involvement with Bruno Mariano!" Ed screamed as he slammed a hand hard to the long table. He spun around and placed both hands on his hips while he strode back and forth the width of the small room, trying to keep his anger in check.

"She was duped into it!" Al said as he pointed to Ed's office where Nichole was currently being held in.

Ed was incredulous of what he was hearing. "You actually are eating that bullshit…"

"You've should have seen the state she walked into my place, Ed. That guy did a real number on her." His face saddened as he remembered how scared she had looked when she first saw her. "He tried to kill her— She's just another victim!"

"I don't trust her Al." He looked at the short-haired blonde with a concerned look. "—and neither should you. She's—"

"So what if she has done questionable things in life?" Al's brows furrowed. "Who are we to judge her, Brother? You and I are no saints and you know that!"

"It's not the same Al."

"We committed taboo Ed… one of the worst sins there are!" He dragged a chair out and sat as guilt was draining his energy. "All for a selfish gain that only brought misery to our lives." His eyes were fixed on the shiny wood surface. "—a misery that brought misery to other people's lives." He thought about Maes Hughes, Gracia and Elysia. "Mr. Hughes would be alive now if it wasn't because of us…" He lifted his guilty gaze to meet his brother's. "Where's our punishment for that? —And Gracia… she never judged us. We destroyed her family and she forgave us. She forgave us, Brother…"

The long-haired blonde crossed his arms as he suddenly became quiet. Only his sorrowful expression gave away how he was feeling on the inside.

"Nichole is just another lost soul Ed and she wants to make things right. Shouldn't she have an opportunity just like we had ours?"

Ed pursed his lips long before he had an answer for his little brother. He knew that Al had given him a very convincing argument but the fact that he didn't trust his lady friend still remained. However he had the information he was looking for and for the looks of it the case was bigger than he had expected. "Fine Al." He looked at him with hard eyes. "I hope you're right." He uncrossed his arms and walked towards his younger brother. He placed a hand firmly on his shoulder. "I'll find a way to keep you both safe and sound from this mess."

* * *

A/N: As you can tell this is a very intricate spider's web that I'm weaving. Not easy, specially because of the dark content I'm handling. Next comes the sting operation. Thanks for reading!


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: Hi everyone! Thanks for all your reviews and PMs! Here's part one of the sting as it is quite long (and I'm working on part 2).

**Thank you Jaclyn for all your help!**

I don't think I've mentioned this here but I tend to pair a song with a story for both inspiration and ambience. For the first part of Insidious I've paired it with the song _Losing My Religion _by R.E.M.

Enjoy!

Oh and happy mother's day for all that have moms and are moms! xoxo

* * *

"My-my this is quite the surprise, Edward especially since you came by on such a 'short' notice." Quipped the raven-haired General to a very upset Lieutenant-Colonel.

"Quit it, Bastard. I didn't drag my ass here just to hear your idiotic comments." Ed dropped the folder he was holding under his armpit on the couch then plopped beside it, quickly putting a leg on top of the other as he propped his arms across the back of the couch in his usual cocky manner.

"Fine Edward…" Roy momentarily stopped his banter since he was rather curious to know what type of surprise awaited inside the folder. He glanced back at Ed with a pompous look. "—but I must admit you have become quite a 'bore' in your 'old age'."

"Well I prefer to be a 'bore' in my 'old age' as you say than to be an 'old fucktard' when I become as ancient as you." The long-haired blonde scoffed.

Roy smirked triumphantly as he still had his way with the younger man. "So to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"It's about the arson case in the Warehouse District." Ed replied as his overall demeanor turned serious.

"You made a breakthrough then… how deep does it go?"

Ed smiled wide, acknowledging his commanding officer's sharp conjectures. "All the way to South Command, sir. A whistleblower gave us the information in exchange for immunity."

Roy raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. Are the informer's accounts credible?"

"Yes." Ed said as he suppressed the bitter taste that was left in his mouth from discovering that his adored brother was now somewhat involved in the mess. "I've sent Major Armstrong to the south to investigate the movement in the area and he confirmed that Bruno Mariano will try to smuggle the second shipment through the small border town of Ezio(1), just a little South East from South City in three days time."

"So you're here to ask for leave to go… fishing." Roy said with a wily smile.

"Hunting, sir." Edward corrected. "—and I'm bringing Al on vacation with me."

Roy frowned. "Edward, you're an officer now and—"

Ed stood up and placed the folder on top of Roy's mahogany desk. "Here you go, sir." He grinned mischievously.

"What is this?"

"A military contract. As you can see the employer and contractor spaces have already been signed but as you know this type of document needs clearance from a higher-ranking officer such as yourself."

"Can't you two just do anything without each other's help?" The raven-haired man scolded.

Edward looked away as he thought of his brother. "Al… he just wants to help with his alchemy."

Roy saw the immediate change in mood on his subordinate. His shaking fists foretold of the frustration of his current 'disability'. The older man felt sympathy for the ex-State Alchemist thinking that it must be horrible not being able to do something that used to have such strong impact in your life. "Has Al had any type of combat experience after getting his flesh body back?"

"Not that I know of."

"Will you need more reinforcements?"

"Nope." Ed replied with optimism.

The General took out his fountain pen and scribbled his signature on the document. "You will take full responsibility for what happens to Alphonse. Is that clear?"

Ed smiled. "Yes sir!" He took the folder back and saluted Roy.

"You're dismissed, Lieutenant-Colonel."

The long-haired blonde turned around and left the luxurious office behind in a happier tune than he previously arrived in.

Roy kept looking at the closed door as memories of the young spit-fire and his gentle younger brother came to his mind. "I'm becoming too soft in my old age." He chortled.

**oo-OOO-oo**

"Good morning Edward, Alphonse." Alex greeted the two brothers as they got out of the train cart. "How was your trip?"

"Just peachy…" Whined the long-haired blonde as he stretched his back. "One thing I can tell you, Major, is that I don't miss the train rides."

The Major chuckled. "It if was under other circumstances you both would have traveled on the luxury carts since your rank provides you with such accommodations."

"You don't say?" Grumbled a very grouchy Alphonse. He looked at his brother who was now yawning. "How did you do it, Ed? Those seats are like withstanding Xinguese torture— precise and painful."

"I was motivated back then— and younger too." He grinned.

"Oh common you two." Interjected the mustachioed man. "You both are probably out of shape and that's why the long trip has gotten you so exhausted. But do not worry! Once we finish our business here I'll invite you to one of the training routines that have been passed down to Armstrong family for generations—"

"I'll pass!" Both brothers said in unison.

Alex was stunned with their answer. He chortled. "Maybe what you boys need is some inspiration." He proceeded to take his jacket off when the brothers screamed bloody hell for him to stop.

"Major, sir. It's too early for you to be flashing us with your… assets." Maria said as she got out of the train cart along with Sergeant Brosh who was still half asleep.

"My dear Lieutenant! Sergeant! Good day to you too!"

"So Major, we should move along. We don't want to draw any unnecessary attention to ourselves." Ed grabbed his suitcase and tapped Al on his shoulder. "Let's get in the car."

"Sure thing, Brother." He picked up his suitcase and walked along Ed's side. Alex, Maria and Denny walked behind.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Edward looked around the ratty hotel room. "I really can't wait to get the officer's treatment." He said as he picked up a moldy-smelling pillow from the yellowish-looking twin size bed. "Shit."

"We're supposed to lay low, Ed." He thought of the night he had to spend alone on a makeshift bed at his property. "It's not so bad really—"

"Only if you squint your eyes the right way!" Ed said from the bathroom while relieved himself. "This place is even worst than the worst place we stayed in when we were looking for the Philosopher's Stone."

"I guess…" Al remembered how Ed used to complain about hotels he had to pay from out-of-pocket money. "At least you're not paying for this stay!" He chortled.

Edward walked out of the bathroom sporting a hurt face. "Are you saying I'm cheap?"

"Well… you are." Al grinned mischievously.

Ed glared at his younger brother after the initial shock have passed from such an uncalled attack. "First Winry, then you…" He pouted.

Winry… the short-haired blonde's heart started to beat faster when he heard her name. It took him completely by surprise the sheer pull that Winry had on him. He felt like the floodgates to his emotions suddenly burst open leaving him to deal with a barrage of mixed feelings regarding his sister-in-law… but how could that be? He hadn't thought about Winry since he's being with Nichole yet he reacts like a teenager with a big crush upon hearing her name in a mundane conversation? Unless… unless— Alphonse felt a cold, sick feeling run all over his body as he realized that his feelings for his brother's wife had never left his side.

"Al?" Ed waved a hand in front of Al's absentmindedly gaze. "Yoo-hoo! Snap out of it!"

"What?" Al said as he looked at Ed with confusion.

Edward knitted his brows for umpteenth time out of concern about his younger brother's behavior. "You ok there?"

"Yeah…" He rubbed the back of his neck and smiled bashfully. "I was thinking of Nichole." He lied through his teeth as he tried to divert attention but only to fail miserably at it.

"Are you two living together?" Ed said curtly.

Al's eyes narrowed. "Does it really matter, Ed?"

"Of course it matters!" The long-haired blonde answered with irritation. "You deserve better than her."

"Brother…" Al reproachingly.

"We're ready to leave Edward." The Major's thunderous voice was heard loud and clear from behind the door.

"Ok Major! We'll head out soon." Edward replied as he unbuttoned his coat, taking out two guns from his back holster and began inspecting them.

Al was appalled. "You carry guns, Ed?"

The ex-alchemist raised his eyes. "Why are you so shocked? I am a dog of the military after all." He proceeded to snap open the clip from one of his handguns.

"—but I thought that you hated firearms."

"That I did…" He slid the clip back in place and proceeded to do the same with the second gun. When he finished he tucked each gun in the holster and buttoned up his coat. "—but long ago I accepted that I needed a new way to protect myself and others now that I can't perform any alchemy." He added with a rueful smile while Al wanted to kick himself for his tactless comment.

**oo-OOO-oo**

"There's our rendezvous point right ahead." Alex pointed to a small cottage that could be seen from the top of the hill they were currently parked on. The strong man took a compact mirror from his coat and started reflecting a message using the afternoon's sun to confirm the safe passage to the cottage. "Let's go." He said after his coded message was returned.

The three men got in the car and descended the slope slowly so the dust trail left by the moving vehicle wouldn't be seen the distance.

"Think they were making out?" Ed said out of the blue making the Major momentarily lose control of the car and his brother blush from the shameless comment.

"Brother please concentrate! You're the leader here." He reprimanded his older brother.

"What!" Ed whined. "Since when does commandeering equate to being a bore?"

"You're supposed to lead by example Ed. Isn't that right Major?" Al replied while looking at Alex's reflection on the rear view mirror.

"Actually… I've been wondering that myself." He answered with glistening grace while Ed displayed a toothy grin that made the younger Elric roll his eyes in contempt.

"Don't be like that Al." The long-haired blonde teasingly shoved his brother in the backseat. "It's just a little office banter that we have going on for a month now."

The mustachioed man's baby blue eyes flickered with excitement. "We in the Division have placed bets on wether Sergeant Brosh will muster enough courage to confess to the Second-Lieutenant of his amorous intentions he has for her."

"Jeez Ed." Al said with a flat stare. "—and here you were criticizing and complaining about how Mustang and company did the same in behind closed doors."

Edward shrugged his shoulders. "Well you know what they say lil' bro. If you can't fight them, join them."

"Sure Ed. So that's how they're calling a 'copycat' nowadays? I thought you disliked the General when in reality you just want to be just like him." Al quipped as a smirk formed on his lips.

"SAY THAT AGAIN AL!" Ed countered in a senseless fit of rage that made both men laugh.

"We have arrived." Alex said as he slowly put the car into a full stop. The Major and the short-haired blonde got out of the car first, leaving Ed to deal with his chagrin.

Maria and Denny got out of the cottage and saluted the Major and Alphonse.

"Is there something wrong with your brother Al?" She said while she pointed at the black-clad spitfire that was cussing worse than a sailor in the back seat of the Major's car.

"He's… he's just upset that I said he was starting to behave like General Mustang."

"Oh…" She snickered. "I guess you're right—"

"I HEARD THAT!"

Everyone turned the attention to Edward who just have gotten out of the car and was heading their way.

"So? Looks like you two had a good time here all by yourselves." Ed said with a mischievous look.

"Um… yeah Ed. Why do you ask?" Maria said with confusion.

"Why don't we have the Sergeant here to answer that question for you?" The long-haired blonde replied maliciously. Denny turned as white as a piece of paper.

"Brother!"

"Fine-fine. I was just trying to have a little fun… let's get down to business then." He walked inside the cottage and everyone soon followed.

**oo-OOO-oo**

The team gathered around the dining table while Alex spread open a regional map on its surface. "I've had gathered information that the Mariano's plan to take the cargo tonight. The initial transaction happened two days ago in South City but Bruno is being cautious and made his henchmen move the cargo from South City to Ezio." He placed a finger to a marked place slightly to the north of the town. "This is where they hid the Quíjì. It's an abandoned steel factory. Bruno chose this location due to its accessibility to the train lines."

"I've tailed two of his men back in Central and they will be sending a convoy of five men to pick up the shipment in an unidentified train." Denny added.

"—and they have three men guarding the site… Bruno is supposed to come by later this evening with his entourage and that consists of two heavily-armed bodyguards and the driver." The mustachioed man said with concern.

"Sergeant, when's the train supposed to arrive?" Ed asked.

"Around three in the morning."

Edward turned his attention to the Major. "Are there any alchemists among Bruno's men?"

"Just one that I know of."

Edward looked closely at the marked section on the map. He noticed that the old factory was built around natural rock formations so there was only one way in and out. "Sergeant, you're going to be our eyes and ears in this operation so I need you to command this area here." He pointed his finger towards the North East section of the marked area. Ed then looked sternly at Alex. "Major, please erect a wall on the entry point once Sergeant Brosh informs us that Bruno's car has pulled in and gotten inside the premises." He looked at Maria. "Second-Lieutenant, you'll station yourself on the second floor of the building and be ready to back me and Al." He looked at his brother with slight worry. "Al, this is it. You and I will stick together and will get close to the targets. Be ready to use your alchemy on the spot and don't worry I'll keep your back safe." He smiled lovingly at him. "Major once you transmute the wall you will quickly join me and Al and engage in a full frontal assault." Edward looked at his team mates with calm reassurance. "We need to strike now. Is everybody ready?"

"Yes sir!"

* * *

A/N: It will take me a few days to post chapter 20 as I'll be busy with the packing and moving so I might post between May 17-20. I hope you are enjoying the dynamic of the new Intelligence Division team. XD

(1) I took the name of Ezio from one of my favorite games, Assassin's Creed.

A/N 2: I posted a teaser chapter for a new story called _Convergence_. It's an EdWin fic based after the COS movie. Check it out!


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: Hi dear readers! Thanks for all your reviews and PMs! It has been brought to my attention that there is some confusion with the narration of the story. You are asking where's Winry, where's Envy and when will be see more Al x Win interaction? Ok this story is quite long. It was supposed to be 40-50 chapters but like I've said before I had to split it up. Because of this split I've added more content to give part one a better ending/transition into part two. Winry will take a more prominent role in part two. Now about Envy. The way that Al and Envy are connected is not the same type as Greed was to Ling. Al will always be in control of his body however Envy influences his actions —sometimes more than others. There has been other times that Envy has disappeared and had left Al alone and this is part of the plot and not random as it may seem. Al x Win, there's some interaction towards the end of part one but it will be predominant in part two. I hope this helps!

**Warning: This chapter contains excessive use of profanity and some slight gore.**

BTW check out the first ending of Jaclynkaileigh's _Absence of Souls__. _This is the perfect story for all you Envy lovers out there!

**Jake, gracias for the beta!**

* * *

"Ok everybody check you communication devices again." Ed said to the team while he scanned the abandoned facility with a pair of binoculars.

"Edward-sir, I see headlights in the distance. Bruno's car is fast approaching. You all better get inside now." Denny's static voice came through the earpieces.

Edward turned around and looked at the horizon. "Shit. There's still some daylight." He muttered. The blonde turned back to his team and looked at his brother and Maria with fret.

"We're going to make it through." Maria commented upon seeing the distress on her superior's face. "However I don't know how much collateral damage we're going to inflict as you boys have a tendency of… overdoing things."

"Fun-ny Lieutenant." Ed grumbled but her quip had made him loosen up a bit.

"We just have to sneak around more carefully." Al reassured.

"Well at least you won't clank this time around." Ed quipped while Alphonse smacked him on the back of his head.

Maria smiled. "Ok, no more fooling around you two. Let's go."

Major Armstrong —who at the time had been a passive observer— smiled affectionately as the trio sneaked inside the building. "The young lad brings an interesting dynamic to the team." He mused. "Edward will make an excellent officer… just like you, Brigadier-General Hughes."

**oo-OOO-oo**

"Let's go Al." Ed signaled for his brother to join him behind some wooden crates located on the far side from where the three men were standing watch over the Xinguese cargo.

From their hiding spot both blondes could see Maria Ross running at a lithe pace on the corridor located at the second floor. She quickly crouched behind some metal containers where she began preparing her assault rifle.

"Now we wait." Ed whispered.

**oo-OOO-oo**

"They just pulled over." Alerted Sergeant Brosh on the radio. "The target will enter the facilities in about a minute."

"Major, wait five minutes before erecting the barrier." Ed said into the microphone; a static confirmation from the Strong Arm Alchemist was heard back.

Both brothers became alert when they heard a group of footsteps about one hundred yards from where they were hidden. They looked between the crates and saw two bodyguards in tight suits walk in first then Bruno came in behind them; Alphonse frowned.

Bruno Mariano was supposed to be thirty-five but he looked far younger and far more built than in the file photos. The gangster looked around with an air of disdain as he approached the men guarding the cargo.

"No problems, I presume?" He curtly asked.

"Everything's fine sir." One of the guards replied back.

Immediately one of Bruno's bodyguards —a tanned, husky built man with a nose that foretold of his Aerugan descent— walked towards one of the men guarding the cargo and began sniffing him, completely invading his personal space. He turned around just as quickly and approached Bruno. The tanned bodyguard whispered something to his ear which made Bruno's eyebrows furrow deep with contempt. The gangster walked towards the guard and stopped a few inches in front of him. Bruno sneered at the man. "You piece of shit!" He yelled to the man's face as he struck him hard with the back of his hand. "You dare steal from me pig?"

"What the hell?" The accused man yelled back while rubbing the right side of his face. "I don't know what the fuck you're talking about!"

Bruno glanced over his right shoulder. "Tony come over here!"

The tanned bodyguard now stood next to his boss. "Yes sir?"

"Register this man." The gangster said in a cold tone.

The husky man proceeded to pat down the accused guard until he found a pouch that was tied to his waist. Tony snapped the pouch open and picked a glass vial —that contained a purplish-black liquid— between his thumb and index finger. The guard broke into a cold sweat and started whimpering.

"You steal from me, you steal from my dear uncle." He looked at Tony with hard eyes. "Take care of him."

The tanned bodyguard took a gun from his holster and shot the accused guard point blank in the forehead, splattering brain matter all over the concrete floor.

Bruno glanced with snide at the lifeless body then at the frightened guards. "Never fucking cross Bruno Mariano. You got that!" The guards agreed in unison.

"Nichole said he was a despicable bastard." Al whispered to his brother who never took his eyes away from the man that eerily resembled the late Major Kimbley.

The second bodyguard —a tall Xinguese man with long, loose hair— suddenly looked their way.

Denny came through the line again. "Edward, the Major just erected the wall and he's heading your way as we speak."

"Thanks Sergeant. Keep scanning the area for any odd movements." A "ten-four" was heard through the line.

"Brother…" Al looked at Ed with a distraught expression.

"What is it Al?"

"Those men are chimeras. I've just picked on it right now."

Edward frowned then peeked again between the crates. "Perfect chimeras… damn. We sure didn't need to deal with that."

Both blondes watched how the bodyguard that had looked their way was whispering something to Bruno's ear.

Edward noticed how Bruno's face had contorted into a deep scowl. His eyes opened wide as he realized they've been spotted. Ed heard a loud clap and a blue spark was sent their way just before he had a chance to tell Alphonse to get away. The blast sent both blondes flying against the wall behind them. Ed felt a little disoriented from hitting the wall hard but recovered rather quickly. He frantically looked at his brother and saw that Alphonse was still dazed from the crash. "AL! SNAP OUT OF IT!" He yelled as he crawled over to his little brother.

"WHO THE FUCK SENT THESE PIGS?" Bruno shouted once the dust had settled. "YOU FUCKING MESSED WITH THE WRONG MAN! The gangster looked at his bodyguards. "Tony, Sheeno. You know what to do."

The bodyguard's bodies began shape-shifting into their real chimera bodies. Tony's overall features changed into a pitbull's while Sheeno sprouted wings from his back and now sported a hawk-like beak.

Feral growls and shrills echoed inside the facility so loud that Denny heard then from his far away post. The Sergeant became alarmed with the wild noises and quickly spoke on the radio. "Are you guys ok? Do you need me to backup?"

The chimeras were quickly closing in while Edward was dragging Al behind the wall they had crashed into. "Dammit!" The long-haired blonde leaned Al on the floor and proceeded to take his guns out of the holster when another transmutation was heard. A sudden barrage of projectiles landed a few feet from his new hiding spot, making the chimeras jump back before getting hit by them. The ex-alchemist looked at the direction the projectiles came from and saw the Strong Arm Alchemist kneeling on one knee as he glared at the chimeras he just tried to hit with his melee type alchemy.

Ed heard his brother moan. "Are you ok Al?"

"I should've seen that coming…" Al said as he regained his composure.

"Just be careful Al." Ed looked carefully at his brother to see if there were any injuries on him. "C'mon." He lent a hand once he saw that his brother was ok.

**oo-OOO-oo**

"These guys are military!" Screeched Sheeno. "The bald man there is a State Alchemist." The chimera added as he pointed at Alex's way.

"FUCK!" Bruno looked at Alex with contempt then started laughing like a mad man. "Military or not, it doesn't matter to me because they all are going to die tonight!" He signaled to the hawk chimera. "Do it!"

The chimera took flight and picked some steel needles from a leather pouch that he carried around his hip. Sheeno threw the needles to different points around the perimeter. Suddenly a gigantic array glowed on the ground.

"Shit that chimera is the alchemist!" Ed warned Alex.

"How do you like that Mr. State Alchemist!" The gangster jeered. "No more transmuting for you!" He took a gun out from his jacket and began shooting at Alex. The Major ran towards the thick wall where the brothers were hiding, just barely avoiding the bullets. The men that were guarding the cargo also began shooting away but suddenly dropped dead from the wounds inflicted by Maria's rifle.

Tony looked up and spotted Maria. "They have a sharpshooter boss!"

"Take care of the shooter!" Bruno yelled at Sheeno.

"Oh no you won't!" Ed came out of hiding and shot at the bird chimera, giving Maria a chance to run away but the long-haired blonde only managed to graze the creature on his right leg as it moved fast. Sheeno glided around while taking more needles out from his bag. The new set of needles landed on the steel platform that Maria was using to escape. The bird man touched a talisman that hung around his neck and activated the small array created by the needles, making the platform collapse to the ground along with the Second-Lieutenant.

"Lieutenant!" Ed watched in horror as Maria took a twelve feet plunge into the ground.

"Surprised? That's the dragon's pulse at work." Sheeno gloated.

Edward looked at Al's direction then grinned. He pressed the "talk" button on the microphone. "Sergeant, leave your post and lend us a hand."

"Got it!" He responded back.

The ex-alchemist approached Alex. "Major, we need to get Maria to safety. Al and I will create a diversion for you so you can go and move the Lieutenant out of harm's way."

"Very well but how are you lads are going to pull it off?"

"That bird brain just told us that he uses alkahestry." Al replied with a smug look on his face.

**oo-OOO-oo**

"Tony finish off that bitch." Bruno commanded the pitbull chimera.

Tony barked and got in all fours then darted towards where the Lieutenant laid unconscious. Flying knives flew past the chimera when it was about to reach her. An array formed in the ground and spikes made out of concrete came rushing towards the chimera; impaling it with brutal force. The place was suddenly filled with the painful yelps from the wounded creature and Al couldn't help but to enjoy his handiwork.

Edward's nose cringed from the gruesome sight but quickly got a hold of himself. He came out of hiding and began shooting at the hawk chimera while Alphonse kept Bruno's bullets at bay with his alkahestry. "Go Major!" Edward yelled and Alex took the opening to make a run for it.

The State Alchemist quickly assessed Maria's overall state once he had reached her. "Lieutenant!" He yelled, trying to wake her up. He shook her gently until he heard a moan escape from her lips. "Can you stand?" He asked her once she came to.

"Y-yes…" She answered weakly while her eyes darted around.

"C'mon Lieutenant. Let's get you to somewhere safe." Alex helped her sit and she winced in pain. "What's wrong?"

Maria touched around her thorax and flinched in pain when she touched the right side of her ribcage. "Major… I think I have some broken ribs." She said now wheezing from the pain.

The mustachioed man understood. "Let's take it easy then." He gently lifted her and carried her towards the spot were Ed and Al had been hiding.

"What happened?" Denny asked the Major who was laying the Second-Lieutenant against the wall.

"She got hit by an alchemical blast." The Major answered. "Sergeant, go get Alphonse quickly."

Denny looked at Maria then at the Major. "Yessir!" He took his gun out and ran towards the short-haired blonde. "Alphonse!" He said once he had reached him. "Maria's badly hurt!"

Al was slightly furious with the news. He had been wanting for a good opening to take care of the bastard that had hurt his girl —and now that he had him within his grasp— he had to let him go in order to tend to the Second-Lieutenant. "Cover me." He said, trying not to sound too pissed. Denny nodded and Al headed towards the injured woman. When he went around the wall he saw the Lieutenant resting against it while wheezing from the pain. "I'm going to heal you as best as I can, Lieutenant." Maria cracked her eyes open and nodded. Al took another set of knives and threw them around the woman then clapped his hands and placed them inside the circle. He closed his eyes and focused his concentration on the skeletal structures of the ribcage then activated the array. Maria was lucky as he had just mastered the healing technique for osseous tissues. He opened his eyes and saw that her face looked more relaxed meaning that she had been restored. "Better?" Al asked to confirm.

"Yes Alphonse. Thank you."

"Can you fight Lieutenant?" Alex asked.

"Yes I can…"

The Major smiled. "We need to back up Ed and—"

Alex got knocked against the opposite wall by the pitbull chimera. Al watched in horror at how the chimera was completely healed from the severe wounds he had dealt to it. He was in the process of taking out his last set of knives when the major stopped him.

"I got him!" He said. "Go help your brother!" He added as he pushed away the chimera and punched it square in the jaw.

"I'll go help Sergeant Brosh." Maria said as they left the Major's side.

**oo-OOO-oo**

"Damn it!" Ed cussed as he kept shooting at the hawk man flying above. He hid behind a nearby column and searched his holster for another clip. He cussed again as he realized he was now on his last ammunitions.

"What's wrong little man!" The chimera taunted. "Running out of fuel already?" Sheeno kept flying around, trying to find a weakness on the column that Ed was hiding behind. He took more needles out and threw them at the vertical structure once he found its weak spot but his efforts were thwarted by the short-haired blonde who sent a gigantic fist his way. Sheeno got hit hard by the massive concrete fist that Al had transmutted and crashed near where the Second-Lieutenant had been hiding before the full-frontal attack.

"Brother!" Al approached Ed. "Are you ok?"

Edward nodded. "Yeah but I'm on my last clip." He looked around and saw Denny and Maria on a standoff with Bruno who kept a safe distance by hiding behind the smuggled cargo then watched the fist fight between the Major and the other chimera. "Fuck! We need to turn the tide around, Al." He looked down at the floor and watched the glowing array beneath their feet. Edward knew that the fight would be over if the Major and Al had their alchemy available but finding the steel needles that kept the array held together was going to be a difficult task in itself. Ed turned to his younger brother. "Al, can you break the array on the ground?"

Al went through a list of options. "I guess I can try to redirect the Dragon's Pulse energy to find and cancel the frequency of the needles."

"You can do that?" Ed said with amazement.

"Well, I've only read that this was possible but I've yet had to try…"

"Just go for it, Al." Ed now stood in front of Alphonse. "I'll cover you."

Al nodded. He gathered his knives from the concrete and stuck them in a new spot on the ground then clapped his hands together and began tuning into the earth's energy. He then scanned the frequency of the steel alloy that the needles were made of. The building and the ground shook a little. Edward noticed that the glowing array had completely vanished. "Major use your alchemy now!" He alerted.

A glint of victory appeared on the mustachioed man's eyes. He struck his fists together and punched the ground in front of him, creating spikes with his alchemy. The dog chimera barely got away from the reaction and jumped to what was left of the platform on the second floor.

A screech was heard from the bird chimera as it took flight one more time. The talisman around its neck glowed and a sonic blast was shot against the Major. Alex just barely escaped the blast. He bounced back and sent projectiles towards the flying chimera.

**oo-OOO-oo**

"I'm out of bullets." Ed said to Denny and Maria once he had reached them.

"I'm almost done too, sir." Maria said.

"—and I only have one clip left." Denny added.

"Shit! We have to take Bruno out now. Al, can you help the Major—" Ed looked around and saw that Al wasn't behind him. He spotted his little brother trying to outflank Bruno. Ed's eyes opened wide as horror filled him when he saw Alphonse get shocked by an array that activated beneath him. "Alphonse!" He screamed when his brother's limp body hit the ground hard.

Bruno was laughing from his hiding spot. "You stupid fuck!" He shouted to the unconscious blonde. "Tony!"

Ed watched how the pitbull chimera jumped to the ground and darted Alphonse's way. Edward reflexively ran towards his little brother as he pressed the button on the strap in his right wrist.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Al struggled to open his eyes. The last thing he remembered was being enveloped by a blinding blue light and the feeling of excruciating pain. His eyes opened wide with fear when he saw the dog chimera standing over him ready to dealt him a deadly blow. He flinched as he awaited to be struck but noticed that the chimera had steel protruding from his sternum. Suddenly the dog man collapsed sideways and Al could see that his older brother was standing behind it. He noticed that Ed had struck the chimera with a blade that was attached to his right arm. For a moment Al thought back to the days when Ed used to wield a similar type of blade on his automail arm. "But how?" The short-haired blonde muttered in confusion.

Edward shook the blood away from the blade and touched his right wrist with his left hand. The blade retracted instantly. He then offered Al a hand.

"What did you do?" Al said.

"It's a hidden blade." Ed said. "I guess old habits die hard."

The brothers looked at Bruno who looked at them in panic. The gangster spun around and ran towards the main exit. Ed and Al followed him. When Edward got close he tackled Bruno against the floor while Al clapped his hands and bound the gangster to the ground.

Edward crouched beside the gangster. "It's all over for you, Bruno."

The gangster looked at him with utter disdain. "Go fuck yourself, runt!"

The long-haired blonde raised an eyebrow. He yanked on Bruno's slicked, short hair, making him flinch from the pain. "Take five." He slammed Bruno's head hard against the ground, rendering him unconscious.

**oo-OOO-oo**

"Sir we have contained the bird chimera." Maria reported.

"Thanks Lieutenant. "Edward looked around. "Where's the Major?"

"Still inside with the Sergeant."

"Is Al with them?"

Maria pointed towards the truck where Bruno was being held. "He's watching Bruno for us."

**oo-OOO-oo**

Bruno was sitting on the back of the truck with his hands cuffed behind his back. He kept staring at the blonde with disdain.

"Do you want to make out with me or something?" The gangster jeered as Al kept glaring at him without saying a word.

The short-haired blonde just sneered then laughed.

"What are you laughing at you stupid fuck?"

"I just can't believe how such a beautiful girl could have fallen for a creep like you."

Bruno was momentarily confused with Al's choice of words then a wicked smile appeared on his face. He shimmied closer to the door. "You're talking about Nikki, boy?" He laughed sarcastically. "Then you really are a stupid fuck."

Al's eyes narrowed at the comment.

Bruno's eyes were now watery from all the laughing. "She's got you wrapped around her pretty little fingers, doesn't she?"

The blonde said nothing.

"I'm not surprised." Bruno continued. "She's a good fuck after all… she's as good as they come."

"Save your words for the trial you piece of shit." The short-haired blonde spat.

Bruno could see that Al wanted to say something to him. "What is it boy? Spit it out already!"

"Why did you try to kill her?" The blonde said as he got close to the door.

The ganster look slightly surprised with Al's words. "So that's what she's saying? Kid, the whore is playing ya."

Al clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. "I don't need to listen to any of your shit."

"You're completely right but only a chump would say something like that… don't say I didn't warn ya." He started laughing again and sat comfortably on the seat. "What a stupid fuck." He muttered.

Al opened the truck door and stared down at Bruno viciously. "Chump you say? Heh. Maybe I should just show you what kind of 'chump' I really am."

Bruno did not back down from Al's glare. "Eat me!"

Al smiled with malevolence and took a step back. He slid his hand into his inside pocket and grabbed a steel needle that he had picked off from the facility then took out a glass vial from the outer pocket of his coat. "Do you recognize this?" Al said as he showed the gangster the vial that contained Qíjì. "I picked it off from the dog chimera. Now what do you think would happen if I pricked you with this needle dipped in the herbal concoction?" Bruno's eyes widened and Al smiled evilly. "Shall we see?" Al broke the blister tip and slowly dipped the needle inside the glass vial. Bruno began to shake and Al put a hand over his mouth when he noticed that the gangster was about to yell for help. "Ah, no, no, no!" Al said in a mocking tone. He placed the needle to the man's jugular and stuck the needle in. Bruno screamed into Al's hand as he thrashed around frantically. The blonde quickly took the needle out and pressed his thumb to the small wound left behind. He then took the needle and carved a pentagram on Bruno's neck which he activated when he joined both hands together. A subtle blue light quickly enveloped the inside of the truck. The carving and the needle wound had disappeared completely. Al stepped back and smiled as he admired what he had just done. "A small quantity of Qíjì has entered your blood stream… enough to slowly render you into a witless fool." He placed the vial and needle on the ground and deconstructed them into its basic components. Al stood up then leaned close to Bruno and grabbed his face in his hand. "Who's the chump now?" Al added as a sadistic smile contorted his face.

"You sick fuck! You're not going to get away with this!" Bruno cried out when Al let go of his face.

The blonde leaned back. "What? You're going to rat me out?" He ridiculed. "Go ahead! No one will believe you but it would be quite entertaining to see you try." Al stopped his derisive comments when he heard footsteps closing in. He glanced behind him and saw Edward approaching fast. "What is it Brother?" He asked in his sweet brotherly tone.

Ed looked at Bruno then at Al. "I need you to help us with the winged chimera. Can you seal the truck with alchemy?"

"Sure Brother." Al chirped. He clapped his hands together and alchemically sealed the truck shut. Before he stood up —and without Ed looking— Al grinned at the gangster as he waved him 'good bye'.

* * *

A/N: I wonder if you saw that coming from Al? Very Envyesque don't you think?

Oh and Ed's hidden blade works like the hidden blade from Assassin's Creed but the blade, instead of being mounted under the arm, is mounted on the same side as his old blade was in his automail arm. Guess who designed the blade for Ed?


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: Thank you everyone for reading this story. I specially thank all of you who take your time reviewing the hard work of a writer. Just you know I had guest commenting turned off. Don't know how it happened but it happened. Anyway if you don't have an account and have been wanting to post then you can now. FYI

**Thank you Jaclyn for helping out!**

**Warnings: **This chapter contains implied violence, implied non-con, implied child abuse, some graphic violence and slight gore.

* * *

_"Ah… nothing like the smell of fear. What an intricate smell… sweet and bitter."_

_"Sir, what do we do with these villagers?" A scrappy-looking soldier asked._

_You stare down at the woman and her three children who were hugging each other close as if the tight embrace would save them from their imminent deaths. You see that the dogs that are under your care are looking at the woman with depraved intent. One of them notices you staring at them and quickly stiffens. They all stiffen because they know pretty well how "kind" you can be to them. You glance at the frightened woman who in a desperate attempt dares to meet your eyes, pleading for her life and the lives of her children. Her despair is so delectable— "What was it that you wanted to do with her?" You ask out loud to the battle-crazed 'companions'._

_"Well… she's plunder right?" One soldier replied._

_"You said everything in this forsaken village is for us to take." Added another soldier._

_"Ah… that's right." You did promise these savage beasts whatever they wanted— as long as the blood circle was properly carved. "Do whatever you want."_

_The woman whimpers. The children cry._

_"Don't you want dibs, sir?"_

_Your face cringes with utter disgust. "Your kind disgusts me."_

_One of the soldiers grab the children and start forcing them out of the small house. "What are you doing?"_

_"Children must not see that." The soldier responds with obedience._

_"The hell they don't! Make them sit and watch so they can learn how worthless a human life is."_

_"Please!" The woman shrieks._

_You step closer and smack her in the face, hard. She immediately shuts her trap. You notice that you drew blood from the blow something that always enthralls you. The children suddenly begin screaming in panic and you turn around to face them. The smell of blood has you so dazed that you see the children… rather enticing._

_You walk towards the fat little turd and pull at his hair until he stands. "I've heard that fat slices like butter." You smirk evilly then shapeshift your hand into a blade and decide to show it to the boy. 'It' whines. You grab the boy by the hair again and drag him outside. Soon after you hear the heavenly melody of anguish from the woman left behind and her little 'spectators'. You stare down at your prey and smile. "Rape, violence, death and suffering… such delectable little morsels left behind by simple, stupid humans." You look at the boy again and your face lights up with delight. "Now little piggy, let's carve some bacon out of you."_

_"Hi!" Says the cute Ishvalan girl. She looks at you with those disgusting red eyes as if she did not have a care in the world. She probably really didn't have a care in the world… it makes you angry. You smile back at her as you lift your gun to her face. Oh how delightful! Her world just came crashing down once she was looking at it through a barrel. You shoot. You laugh. You keep laughing and start to savor the metallic state of blood that was dispersed in the air. You look around and see all the fucking Ishvalan dogs look at you with horror and hate. It makes you laugh harder and you laugh because little did they know that pretty soon they would become 'expendable' like the little girl who's life you just snuffed out._

_Such a "lovely" family picture. The perfect brainless wife married to the nosy —and most likely misogynist— fool and the perfect little doll… they're only missing a stupid fucking mutt— it makes you sick to your stomach yet you begin to feel rather mischievous. Shooting the Lieutenant-Colonel looking like his bitch-of-a-wife had been more than satisfying._

Al waked up hearing himself screaming. He looked around with widened eyes and realized he has been in his room all along. He heard Nichole scream to his right.

"Baby! You're bleeding!" She said frantically.

Al looked around but could not see the blood then he touched his face and his hands became soiled with blood, his blood. He turned around and saw that his pillow was drenched with it. He started to panic. Al tried to stand up but he fell to the floor as his head spun around from the blood loss. Nichole got out of bed and helped him up. "Take me to the bathroom." He said weakly.

Al pushed his girlfriend aside once they reached the door to the bathroom. He plummeted in front of the toilet and started retching. From the doorframe, Nichole watched in horror as Al vomited violently. When he finished he pushed himself against the wall because a massive headache had just taken over then suddenly everything became white.

**oo-OOO-oo**

When Al came to he found himself laying on his bed. He blinked around slowly as he regained focus. He felt a sudden shift on the bed then an angelic figure was entering his peripheral vision. "Win-ry…" He muttered. When he blinked again he saw that it was Nichole who was staring down at him and she sported a hurt look on her beautiful face. "Nichole…" He said as his eyes shut close.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Al was alone when he came to. He felt disoriented and lost. After a few minutes he managed to sit up and after another minute or two he managed to stand up and walk to the bathroom. He looked towards the toilet remembering that he had puked in it but it looked clean. "Nichole must have cleaned it." He told himself. The blonde turned around and searched for the bloody pillow on the bed, but that was gone too. Slowly he walked towards his desk and pulled out the chair. He opened the top drawer and took his journal out. He undid the alchemical seal and opened the journal to its last entry, which had been over four months ago. He grabbed a pen and with his shaky hand wrote down what he remembered. Al needed to keep track that he just had suffered a strong seizure and not only that but he just had a vivid sequence of dreams —scratch that— memories that were not his own. He needed to record that his enigmatic bond with the homunculus had taken another turn for the worst.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Al was laying down on the sofa when Nichole walked in. He opened one eye while she put her stuff down on the table. "Where were you?" He asked in a slightly irritated tone. He had been feeling unwell since the seizure episode in the morning and he could have really used her help but she had opted to leave for the entire day.

The blue-eyed woman walked towards him and sat on the border of the couch. She touched his forehead tenderly. "Baby, you looked like you needed some rest." She smiled. "I just wanted to give you some space, that's all."

"Where were you? He asked again in a more demanding tone.

"Al, I was out with friends."

"You… were out with friends?" He just couldn't believe his ears. "You preferred to hang out with friends than to make sure I was ok?"

"Baby—"

"I had a seizure Nichole!" His olive eyes flickered with anger.

"Then why didn't you tell me this before? How long has this been going on?"

"Don't change the subject!" Al could feel his migraine coming back.

Nichole looked at him with pity. "Baby…" She leaned over and gently played with the fringe of his hair. "I was scared. All that blood and then your eyes rolled back and you started convulsing… it was too much for me to bear."

Al gritted his teeth. "Nichole! How could you be so… so… selfish?"

The young woman looked hurt. "Selfish? I tried contacting your brother to tell him what happened."

Nikki's words made Al freeze with apprehension. "Did you talk to him?"

"I couldn't get a hold of him."

He sighed out of relief.

"What are you trying to hide?" She looked confused.

Shit. He just screwed himself in front of her. "I don't want Ed to worry."

"Baby, if what's happening to you is that bad then why don't you get yourself checked?" She said with sincere concern.

Checked? Al thought about her words long and hard. He knew he was worried because something truly insidious had burrowed deep within his being. He could now experience Envy's memories, something he couldn't do before and there was the heavy bleeding. It had been the first time he bled like that, and that in itself scared him shitless. When he was recording what had happened to him in his journal he had also listed possible situations that might have triggered such change in him. Getting shocked into unconsciousness by the array at the abandoned factory was at the top of his list because the sheer power that an electrical current possesses is enough to damage something in the brain. He knew he couldn't let himself deteriorate any further. "Nichole, can you hand me the telephone book?"

**oo-OOO-oo**

Al looked at his watch as he neared the cafe where he was supposed to meet with Ed. He was just five minutes late and it wasn't even his fault. The tram had momentarily lost power and rolled the whole schedule back for fifteen minutes. Thank the heavens he liked to arrive at a place early because if not he would have been forty minutes late to his meeting with his older brother. "Well, it's been two weeks already and five more minutes won't make a difference."

"Hi Al!" Ed said as he waved his hand at his younger brother.

"Hey Brother! How are you doing?" Al greeted back when he approached the table where Ed was sitting at. Ed's colorful grin let him know that he wasn't even aware that he was slightly late.

"I'm fine." He looked at Al from top to bottom before he took a seat. "How are you doing? You know after everything?"

The short-haired blonde looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"Well you did get knocked out twice." The elder Elric said with concern.

Al laughed nervously wondering if the Elric telepathy that his older brother always talked about had a ring of truth. He WAS heading to see Dr. Monroe for his follow up visit after leaving the cafe and as far as he knew Edward didn't know about this unless… unless Nichole told him so. He frowned.

"What's wrong Al?"

The younger Elric cursed under his breath. He scolded himself for being careless once again. "It's nothing. So what did you wanted to meet me for?" He HAD to change the subject, fast.

"It's about Bruno Mariano."

Al's blood ran cold. "What about him?"

Edward leaned back on his chair and suddenly sported a serious look. "Well he's in the psych ward."

Al knew this was the most probable outcome with the minimal dose he administered to Bruno yet he tried his best to look surprised by the news. "Really? What happened?"

"A few hours after the sting he started having hallucinations. He cried out that a yellow-eyed vampire had bitten him on the neck. After two days he kept babbling the words 'no one would believe you' non-stop— He even went bat-shit-crazy the moment I tried to interrogate him. He believed I was the yellow-eyed vampire that wanted to finish him off. Can you believe that?"

Al kept the laughs to himself. "Wow Ed. That's so bizarre… any explanations as to why he behaved like that?"

"We thought he was just faking it to go for an insanity plea but then he persisted that there was a man-vampire out there who had tried to kill him once before— Long-story-short, we ended up having to re-canvas the scene and we also had to get him checked."

Al's quips stopped on their tracks. Had they found something that could be traced back to him? He clenched his jaw and cursed inwardly. It had never been like him to act brash yet he had done it again. He had lost control just like he had when he killed Granny back in Resembool. He smiled cordially at Ed while he replayed his 'talk' with Bruno in his mind. He remembered closing the puncture wound with alkahestry and he also remembered deconstructing the needle and the glass vial along with the drug. So what was he missing?

"We had him tested for toxins in the blood—" Ed exposed.

Al's face paled when he heard those words. Had they found traces of Qíjì in the bastard's blood? He only administered a minuscule amount… and such tiny dose should have metabolized by the time they arrived to Central from South City. The short-haired blonde swallowed deeply. He looked at Ed in the eyes trying to figure out if his brother was really there to apprehend him but he couldn't feel anything suspicious coming from Ed… still he glanced around the cafe to see if his brother did come to their meeting with backup.

"—but it came out negative and a psychological evaluation revealed that he was suffering from a rare form of PTSD."

"What?" Al thought he heard wrong.

"The evaluation determined that Bruno Mariano should not be sent to jail." Ed summarized with slight irritation as he noticed that his younger brother wasn't listening.

To confirm that the drug concoction was not found on Bruno's blood made Al feel an immense sense of relief. Suddenly he regretted not keeping the remaining Qíjì for himself as it proved to be a valuable asset in case of 'emergencies'. "So now what happens with the case?"

"It's closed. Bruno was sentenced indefinitely to Central's Asylum. The third shipment was intercepted and the winged chimera unfortunately had taken his life." Ed ended his words with sadness as he probably was thinking of Nina when he talked about the chimera.

Alphonse stared at his brother's carefree demeanor. He felt a tinge of guilt for having to fool him like that but he had to admit that he really enjoyed pulling the wool over everyone's eyes. He was about to order a cup of coffee when he decided to look at his watch, that's when he noticed that he was late for his next appointment. "Brother I got to go! I have… errands to run." He smiled at his older brother and headed for the door. "Bye now!" He said when he glanced at Ed over his shoulder then exited the establishment. He sighed out of frustration because he

really was looking forward to having a nice cup of coffee along with his brother. Oh how he hated to run out of time.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Al sat on the examination table while he watched how Dr. Monroe carefully looked at his X-rays. It took the older man a while before sitting back on his chair and once he did he picked up Al's medical record and flipped through the pages. The short-haired blonde noticed that the man was trying to avoid as much eye contact as he could with him and this made him nervous. "Doctor, is something wrong?"

The gray-haired man looked at him with sorrow. "Son, your file says you're twenty."

"I'll be twenty one soon…" He answered even though he didn't like the question at all.

"Are you married? Have any children?" The doctor continued with the odd line of questioning.

"I have a girlfriend and no children— excuse me doctor but what does this have to do with my examination?" Al could feel his heartbeat drumming in his ears.

Dr. Monroe pinched the bridge of his nose before letting out a long and slow sigh. He looked at Al with sad eyes. "So young." He muttered. "I'm sorry son, but I'm afraid that you're terminally ill."

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A/N: This was a hard chapter to write so I would not be surprised if you, dear reader, found it hard to read. Chapter 20 marks the beginning of the end for part 1. It will be a chaotic roller coaster from now until the end. R&R! XD


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: Hi everyone! Thank you so much for all your reviews! I think that's the most I got in months. XD

I do appreciate each and everyone of your reviews because they mean you care. Also I thank and welcome you, new readers, I hope the story doesn't disappoint you.

Ok, I apologize if the cliffhanger was too harsh. I just couldn't deal with writing Al's reactions to knowing of his terminal illness. So chapter 22 is all about that and a little more. It was also another hard chapter to write because it was so difficult to grasp the right feelings for it. I'm still kind of depressed by it too.

I hope you like this new installment!

**Thanks Jaclyn! I hope you're not drowning in sad soup anymore! XD**

Ok now to my shout out section. Have you ever been in love? Have you ever suffered for love? What would you do if the one you love comes back to you but doesn't/can't stay with you? Would you shun him/her or would you hold on to him/her and get lost in denial? That is pretty much my impression for **_Passing Through_ by jaclynkaileigh.** It's that type of bittersweet story that reminds you of your first true lost love. Very realistic, very angsty and it will definitely make you identify with it in one way or another. **Give it a try! **

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Alphonse didn't know how he got back home however he did remember putting the key inside the keyhole and turning the doorknob. After becoming fully aware of his surroundings he noticed he had been sitting on the couch with the large manila envelope that contained his X-rays sitting beside his right leg. He dragged his hands across his face and felt the powdery saltiness left behind by tear tracks that ran down his face. Just thinking about tears wanted to make him cry some more but he was too tired and too numb to do so. He stood up —slowly— leaving the envelope stranded on the living room floor and walked to his bedroom. "Nichole?" He said in a weak, raspy voice. "Nichole?" He asked again but he only heard dead silence in response. Where was she when he needed her the most? He dragged his body to the bathroom and stood in front of the sink. It took a while for him to muster the courage to look at himself in the mirror —and when he finally did— he saw a broken man, a despondent man… a condemned man.

_"Mr. Elric your X-rays show a focal lesion in the frontal lobe of the cerebral cortex. In other words you have a brain tumor growing just behind and slightly above your right eye."_

Alphonse turned the faucet open, he slowly dipped his hands under the running water and splashed some ice-cold water on his blotchy face. Suddenly his chest became tight and his heart began beating fast. He grabbed on to the edges of the sink and stared down at the dark void that looked back at him in the form of the sink's drain.

_"I'm afraid there's no cure, son. As you see here the X-ray shows extensive ramifications, making it impossible to extirpate the damaged tissue."_

He squeezed the porcelain fixture hard as his face contorted with grief, choked sobs soon followed.

_"How long? I'm afraid that your condition is in an advanced state… I would say six months and not more than a year. I'm sorry. I know this must be hard on you…"_

"Six months…" Al clenched his eyes as he began weeping anew. He was panting after a few long minutes of wailing. The blonde pried open his hands and slowly let go of the sink. He hid his face behind his hands then he began laughing maddeningly until he could laugh no more. He laid one of his hands against the mirror while his other hand acted like a mask by hiding part of his face. Fierce olive eyes peeked behind the hand as his panting escalated. "I'm going to die." He cried. "I'M GOING TO FUCKING DIE!" In a fit of anger Al slammed both hands against the mirror, shattering it into hundreds of pieces. He looked at his now bloody hands as he huffed, making the glass shards that stuck to his hands dig further as he balled his hands into fists.

«Are you done with the temper tantrum, darling?»

Al felt his stomach turn as he opened his eyes wide with shock. To hear the homunculus on top of his misfortune was—

«So hard to bear. You are such a drama queen but we already know that.»

"What?" Al blurted, stupefied. Had the homunculus—

«Read your mind? I think it's more complicated than that, darling.»

He panted again as he tried to think how such thing could happen. As far as he knew Envy could somewhat tap into his thoughts and 'see' his memories. It dawned on him that if he could now see Envy's memories then that meant—

«I think we're more synchronized with one another since you got shocked by that array at the factory— at least I feel that way… as preposterous as it sounds.»

Was that even possible?

«Everything's possible. Isn't that what the old Greed told you once before?»

"Then why—"

«I was quite amused by 'playing house' with you and that little whore of yours. Nice piece of ass you got there by the way.»

Alphonse ignored the homunculus' comment.

«Now the 'cops and robbers' game I didn't expect but I'm sure glad it happened because it was SO much fun— and what you did to that douchebag was… priceless.»

The blonde rolled his eyes in utter annoyance. Why wouldn't he just go away like before?

«That's a 'no' darling. I think I've been quiet long enough.»

The short-haired blonde suddenly winced in pain from the wounds inflicted by the broken glass. The shock from hearing that dastardly voice again after a long period of time had made him forget about his current affliction.

«You should take care of that, darling. I'm afraid to admit to it but it really hurts.»

Al kneeled and used a bloody finger to trace a healing array on the bathroom tiles. He placed his hands inside the array and quickly activated it. The glass shards slid out of his skin, falling on the tiles and the cuts disappeared. He stood up after the transmutation was finished and stepped in front of the faucet. He scrubbed the blood from his hands then proceeded to open and close them. Since he didn't feel anymore pain he deemed the transmutation successful.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Al cleaned the blood from the floor and picked up the mirror shards then went into his room to get changed. After putting something comfortable on, he flopped on the mattress. He stared at the ceiling absentmindedly while once again he began feeling utterly and completely despondent. He had just found out that he only had six months to live —give or take— and finding out that his connection to Envy was stronger than ever only added to his current shit list. Pinako's image popped unannounced into his head and for some reason he found it quite hilarious.

After what seemed like an eternity of wallowing in self-pity, Al decided that he couldn't stand it anymore so he got up and walked towards his work desk. He pulled out the chair and took out his treasured journal from the top drawer. The blonde opened the journal to a blank page once he undid the alchemical seal. He placed the pen on top of the new page but his hand didn't move. He just couldn't muster the courage to write on paper the pitiful ending to his sorry life. He closed the journal and haphazardly tossed it on the top drawer. He got up and opted to walk towards the window. He leaned off the window frame as he decided to stare at 'life' happening outside his dwelling. Al narrowed his eyes when he saw a happy family passing by —a cute little family who looked like they lived blissfully and carefree— a family that had all their lives to look ahead for… he felt his throat thicken. "I don't want to die." He whispered from behind the glass to the family down below. "Not after all that I've been through to stay alive… I don't have that kind of resolve anymore."

Al's mind trailed off to the Promised Day, to the moment when Father was about to absorb his brother's soul so he could become part of his demi-god being. He remembered quite vividly how his anchor seal was about to break. That moment was so ingrained in his soul because it was the moment when he had decided to let go. He never spoke about it out loud but in that moment in time he had chosen to die. What Mei did for him was just a form of assisted suicide and it was well worth it because he decided to give everything to his adored older brother. Of course he had hoped that Ed would come for him and take him back from the other side of the Gate, yet he had made his peace. It didn't matter to him if Ed couldn't rescue him because he had deliberately chosen to sacrifice himself for him… but Ed did bring him back. He had been so happy when he saw Ed inside the Gate because he kept his promise and returned him to the world of the living bound to human flesh… and now this? Al bitterly realized that his return had been ill-fated since that day. Was he never supposed to have come back? Was this another one of Truth's cruel games? If he would have known that his fate was going to be this cruel to him he would have preferred to stay in the Gate —no— if he could turn back time he would have stopped Ed from performing the life-changing transmutation that ruined both their lives because— Al's chest hurt. "Ed knew… he really knew that something was wrong. Just like when when we tried to get our mother back. Ed didn't get an Equivalent Exchange when he got me out of the Gate." The blonde put a hand over his mouth as he was starting to feel sick. "My fate was sealed…"

«From the beginning— I told you that Dear Brother is the one to blame for all your misfortunes. Thanks to him you never had a chance to live a normal life."

Al sobbed from sorrow.

«He gets to live on, to enjoy happiness, to love, to have a family —just like the one you just saw through the cold window— while you get to die a miserable death.»

Envy's words jarred inside his head. Just thinking that Ed was going to live on and that one day he was going start a family beside the woman who could have been his made him strangely bitter. "It's not fair…" He said through clenched teeth.

«Of course it's not fair!»

Al chuckled caustically as he found some type of solace in the Sin's words. "It doesn't matter… it's too late."

«What if I tell you that there's a way to 'undo' the injustice that's been placed on you?»

Envy caught his attention. "How can it be 'undone'? Don't tell me it's—"

«You guessed correct! By absorbing souls you can regenerate your damaged tissues—»

"There's no way in hell that I will resort to creating a Philosopher's Stone!"

«I didn't say create, darling. I said absorb. Gather as many souls as you can and with my help we can cheat death itself.»

"That's what Father did…" He felt sick again.

«Exactly. He gave me that same ability so you know what I'm referring to.»

Al thought of Ling when he willingly absorbed a massive quantity of souls in the form of a viscous red stone. He blanched. "You're asking me to become a human-based homunculus, Envy?" He felt his stomach churn.

«You got it!»

"ARE YOU INSANE!" He roared. "What makes you think that I would even consider such atrocity?"

«The fact that you are going to die made me think you will take the offer.»

"I thought you wanted to be free from me."

«Maybe I've been stuck with you long enough… maybe I've taken quite a shine on you but quite frankly I just don't want to die, darling.»

**oo-OOO-oo**

Nichole opened the front door quietly. She laid her purse carefully on the side table and stepped silently into the living room. The first thing she noticed was a large manila envelope laying on the floor so she walked towards it an picked it up. She took the envelope into the kitchen and took the X-rays out. She held each plaque against the kitchen light and saw a rather peculiar white spot on the same place in all of the images. The blonde placed the plaques back in the folder and took out a letter that contained the results for the X-rays. She gasped when she discovered that Alphonse had a terminal illness. Nikki's full lips immediately cast downwards. "Damn it Al!" She placed the letter back in the envelope then placed it back where she had found it. "Such a pity…" She muttered as she picked up her purse. Nichole walked out the door as quietly as when she first came in.

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A/N: What will Al do? Chapter 23 will be interesting to say the least. Be prepared for strong, mature content and general creepiness of the Al/Envy kind.


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: Hi dear readers! Thank you again for your reviews. Well it looks like there are two more chapters after this one and I'll be done with part 1. Now about this chapter, well, trying to develop Al's behavior is tricky specially since Envy is right in the middle of it… so its fair to mention that the content for this chapter is just wrong in so many levels and that's the way it should be. **Be prepared for creepiness and disturbing behavior.**

**Warnings: This chapter contains strong sexual content and just plain Al/Envy weirdness (you have been warned!).**

**Thanks Jaclyn for the beta!**

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"Al-baby, your two-thirty is here!" Nichole yelled as she peeked through the door to the brownstone's basement. Al didn't answer. She grumbled something about her being late to work and after a few more seconds she began coming down the steep stairway. "Al?" She shouted as she neared the bottom of the steps. "Your next client is here… what on earth are you doing—" She gasped, her blue eyes became wide with the sight of arrays of every type, runes for every incantation, Xinguese kanji, mandalas and formulas of different degrees of complexity covering almost every inch of the basement's walls and foundation pillars. She glanced around and saw Alphonse hunching over his work desk, scribbling like a mad man on a piece of paper. For some odd reason she found Al's sight rather disturbing and somewhat creepy. She hesitated for a moment to take that first step towards the short-haired blonde but she followed on her momentum once she got one foot in front of the other. "Baby…" She said as she was about to touch him on the shoulder.

"I heard you the first time." Al said curtly as piercing olive eyes suddenly glanced at her from behind his right shoulder. He turned around and scribbled some more. "Please tell Mrs. Cartwright that I'll be with her in five minutes." He continued hacking at the paper with his pencil.

"Ok…" Nikki replied almost inaudibly then turned around. "I'm going off to my photo-shoot. Don't expect me to be home early."

Al kept scribbling away as she closed the door to the basement.

**oo-OOO-oo**

"Oh my, Alphonse!" Said Mrs. Cartwright —Al's favorite client— squeaking with delight as she looked closely at her face in the tall mirror. "This is absolutely amazing!" The spunky, forty-four year old read-head turned around and looked at the short-haired blonde with glee. "Look at me! I look ten years younger— And most of the gray has faded from my hair!"

«Oh heavens, look at me! I'm still the same old hag that doesn't even know she is a guinea pig! Ugh… make her stop.»

"I'm glad you like the results Mrs. Cartwright. However I must warn you that the results are temporary so your cell structure will gradually revert back to it's original state." Alphonse answered cordially.

"That's a shame Alfie. Can't you make an array that makes it permanent? You would become rather famous if you did." The older woman said in singsong as she walked next to the blonde, winking playfully at him before heading into the dress room to get changed back into her clothes.

The blonde chuckled bashfully. "I'm working on it, Donna."

"You better dear! I want to look as radiant as that girlfriend of yours." The red-head woman said when she stepped out of the dresser. "Here you go Alfie." She handed him the white robe she was wearing while she underwent the 'rejuvenation' procedure.

Al sent off the extravagant woman with a sugary smile but his smile quickly turned sour immediately after he heard the door close.

«Why do you keep wasting your time with these stupid alkahestry arrays? You already know what you need to do, darling.»

"Because ONE of those arrays will get rid of that thing inside my brain." Al said caustically.

"Pft. Whatever.»

**oo-OOO-oo**

"Where were you?" Al said out loud when he heard the blonde woman crossing the hallway and heading to the master bedroom.

Nichole stopped in front of the spare room that Al had turned into some type of green house. She hardly had a chance to look into this room as it was always kept under lock and key. The last time she looked into it, it was empty, but this time around the room was filled with white roses —all kept in glass containers— and looked like they were in different stages of withering. The freshest rose caught her attention as the date of that peculiar glass container was marked to one month, one week ago while the most withered rose was dated to one week ago. She took a mental note of this as she leaned on the doorframe. "I didn't know you were going to be up this late, baby."

Al —who was still sitting in front of the desk— turned around on his chair and looked at her coldly. "Where were you?" He repeated in a dryer, harsher tone.

"I told you this after noon that I was heading for a photo-shoot." She answered with irritation.

"Oh— that's right. My apologies Nichole." Al answered with a smile then turned around and went back to work.

Nikki's eyes narrowed, she was slightly frustrated with Al and his erratic behavior. The blonde pushed herself away from the doorframe and walked slowly towards the master bedroom. She heard Al shouting a 'Don't wait for me!' before she closed the door. Nikki scoffed at his words as she headed to the bathroom. The blonde looked at her image on the repaired mirror and wondered if Al had broken in it out of frustration when he first learned about his illness. "He's crazy if he thinks I'm going to be his caretaker… too bad… I really did like him." She mused. "Oh well, it was time to move on anyway." She muttered while she extended her right arm to contemplate the gold bracelet that adorned her delicate wrist.

**oo-OOO-oo**

"Hey Win?" Ed asked looking at his beautiful wife from the opposite end of the couch. "Al's birthday is next week."

Winry's blue eyes peeked at Ed from behind the latest issue of Automail Science magazine. "Oh… I guess I forgot." She lied.

Edward pushed himself away from the couch armrest where he currently had been laying his back on and rocked his body forward until he found himself kneeling between the mechanic's legs. He picked the magazine out of her hands and tossed it on to the wood floor. "Honestly Winry. Are you sure you're not leaving a screw out of that cute little gear head of yours?" He quipped with mirth while he gently pinched her chin between his thumb and index fingers.

Winry's eyebrow twitched in anger but she smiled mischievously. "We can't all have your 'massive' intellect Edward."

"Massive?" Edward asked suspiciously.

"Yes massive, Ed. Huge, humongous— You get the point." She added with a playful smirk.

Ed's eyebrows furrowed with distrust. "Must you be sarcastic?"

"What honey bun? Would you prefer I use 'diminutives'?" Winry teased while she leaned towards Ed and pulled at his cheeks.

"Stop that!" The long-haired blonde batted her hands away and she flopped back into the couch, staring at him while giggling. He smiled impishly and hovered his body over hers, his long bangs falling at each side of her blushed face. "I do prefer 'augmentatives' because they DO describe how 'awesome' I am." He got closer and pecked her lips before sitting back on the couch.

Winry pouted and looked at the blonde expectantly.

"I was thinking about having a birthday dinner here at our apartment." The long-haired blonde said, picking up the previous line of conversation. "I can make his favorite dish and you can bake him an apple pie— You know how much he loves them!" Ed said enthusiastically while Winry remained quiet. "Don't you think it's a good idea?" He asked when he noticed her retracted demeanor.

"Oh no, no, no— I think it's a great idea, Ed." She said trying to hide from Ed the feelings of resentment she felt for her brother-in-law.

"Great!" Ed grinned. "I'll call him to let him know of the plans."

Winry smiled forcefully at his words. "I guess I'll finally meet this 'girl' that has stolen Al's heart." She leaned forward and kissed Ed softly on the lips, wanting to leave the conversation about Al's birthday behind. "Now where were we? Oh yes, we were talking about 'augmentatives'…" She said playfully as she looked down to his pants.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Alphonse sat gently in bed next to Nichole's sleeping figure. He had just spent another night of research on a method to apply alkahestry to eradicate the tumor from his body. Fortunately he had made a breakthrough when he searched through his old journal entries. He remembered that the alkahestry techniques that he had performed on himself from the beginning had been the wrong ones, not only they were not suited for the complexity of his ailment but were even counter-effective, to the point that he now thought could have made the mass growing inside his head spread even more as shown by the X-rays. With this new knowledge he had devised a new type of array that not only would act as a rejuvenating agent but would also negate the stagnant chi that the mass of cells were feeding from. He had jumped from utter joy —back in the basement— celebrating this small accomplishment. It was the first time in six weeks that he had felt some hope about his grim fate.

The short-haired blonde stared at his partner. She looked so delightful sleeping soundlessly on their shared bed. He noticed that under the moonlight she looked so much like… 'Her'. He licked his lips absentmindedly as he felt heat pooling on his nether region. Al leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her bare shoulder. He closed his eyes and pressed a smile on her skin… the sole witness to what Nichole had really been for him. Yes, he cared deeply for the blonde and loved her for her, but sometimes —like during that moment— he just gave himself permission to pretend… so he shifted his body around and hovered on top of the sleeping figure that looked like his Winry.

Al claimed the sleeping beauty's lips as a throaty, desperate moan went passed his lips. Her plump lips were succulent just as Winry's. This mere thought got him hard, fast.

Nichole slowly batted her eyes open once Al pulled back from the kiss. "Baby?" She whispered in startled confusion as she became fully aware of her surroundings. "What are you doing, Baby?"

Alphonse just kissed her back because if he engaged in a conversation with her then his pretend game would be over. He closed his eyes and ran his hot mouth down her chin and all the way to her collar bone. It was when he had a hand on her breast that he realized how strongly he felt Envy's presence. Al suddenly stopped what he was doing and focused his attention on his 'spectator'. In the past it had been easy to forget or even ignore the Sin's ever-present presence but now he could feel him in a way he couldn't before. He immediately chalked it up to the fact that sexual arousal could have heightened his senses. The short-haired blonde felt Envy's presence coursing —not only through his mind— but through his body. He knew he should be disgusted by this but for some reason it made him feel more aroused than ever. He moved the hand that was on Nichole's breast and squeezed at her nipple, hard. Her gasp made him smile wickedly because it had not only been him doing this to her but it had also been Envy's doing… and it felt really good.

"Al…" Nikki pushed his hand away from her body and scooted up in the bed. "Not now, baby… I'm not in the mood." She clearly looked upset.

The short-haired blonde frowned. "That's all you say lately, Nichole." He spat.

"I'm just tired from work." She replied in an irked tone as she readjusted her nightgown.

"So am I and I don't use that as an excuse!"

Nikki's eyes narrowed. "Well I'm not you!" She got up and grabbed her pillow and the bed sheet. "—and don't try ever again to get me to 'put out' while I'm sleeping! That's just so… so creepy!" She said with disgust before leaving for the guest room.

Al heard the door slam shut. Shit. He got up from bed —with a lingering hard on reminding him of Nichole's rejection— and headed for the bathroom. He was turning on the faucet for cold water when he felt Envy hesitate.

«You're just going to take her bull just like that?»

"The moment was lost, Envy. There's no point in pressing forward." He started getting undressed.

«It's not all lost… Alphonse.»

Al was stunned with what he heard in his mind as he knew very well what the homunculus was hinting at. "You're absolutely right." He agreed, not giving it much thought to it as curiosity took over what was left of his better judgement.

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A/N: Um yeah… If you didn't realize how the Al/Envy relationship worked then now you know. Mind you that the relationship with these two has been evolving since chapter 1… and so it had come to this. Yes very creepy. The final chapter will be even more disturbing and chaotic. You've been warned —again. I'm wondering what your reviews will be for this chapter... :S


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: Thank you dear readers for all the reviews. Yes Envy reared his ugly head and has gained ground permanently. There's one more chapter left before part 1 is over. This chapter is written so you can just skip the last one because ch25 is definitely not for the faint of heart. Also I want to point out right now that the array described in this chapter it's sort of a magick circle (those who know will understand) based on the Metatron's cube. I want you to know that is just a colorful representation of that shape and is powerless nonetheless. Yes I read a lot of history of theology, esoteric, ancient symbology and mystery school materials and no I'm not an adept. This is a sort of disclaimer because one can never know who is reading this stuff. XD

**Thanks Jaclyn for the beta. I know this is hard material to work with.**

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«That's impressive, Alphonse.»

Al contemplated the hybrid array he had just finished and smiled with glee. He laid the brush across the ink well then returned his gaze to his new creation. "A summoning circle for absorbing souls(1)…" He had been playing with the idea of creating that type of array for days after his last attempt at a true Alkahestry healing circle had failed. He had such high hopes that his last array would cure his ailment that he decided to try it on himself as soon as he was able to. Unfortunately he ended waking up on the floor of his basement-turned-lab with a massive headache and the back of his hair drenched in blood. In a fit of rage and frustration, he went to the makeshift greenhouse on the second floor and began turning tables and destroying all glass containers along with the white roses he had used to first test his arrays on. Al remembered very well how he was trying to catch his breath while he stared at a single rose that remained unscathed from his wrath. His eyes locked on the flower as he huffed when an idea suddenly popped into his mind. The blonde rushed back into the basement and frantically looked in a small bookcase for a book on ancient Xerxian geometrical shapes. Once he found it he quickly flipped through the pages until he found the shape he was looking for.

"The Fruit of Life." Al said as he traced the center point of the array with his index finger.

«All flowers possess the matrix of what's called sacred geometry,b which under the right conditions can act as a gateway with the rose being a prime example of this.»

"I'm surprised that you're this knowledgable on ancient esoteric arts, Envy."

He felt the Sin smirk.

«We homunculi came into this wretched world with the knowledge that modern alchemy is all based on ancient Xerxian technology… besides I was the one who had to 'tend to our guests of honor' so they would be persuaded into finding new ways to create and test the red stones. So yeah, you can say I learned a thing or two from a few stupid humans.»

Alphonse closed his eyes and focused his attention on the Sin, accessing Envy's memories. "Ah I see what you mean now. Dr. Marcoh had good theories too."

«He was my favorite State Alchemist to mess with— besides the Pipsqueak of course."

Al's bristled when Envy mentioned his older brother. Edward had called the day before insisting on celebrating his birthday with a dinner that he would specially prepare for him while Winry would make his favorite dessert. How could he say no to that? Al returned his attention to the array at hand, contemplating the overall structure of his blasphemous creation.

"The Star Tetrahedron that houses the Fruit of Life acts as the light vehicle to the human soul while the circles that are juxtaposed over each point would serve as anchors and the kunai would ground the chi drawn from the Dragon's Pulse once the transmutation is activated by my hands—" He hesitated.

«What the hell is the matter with you now?»

"I've shouldn't have made this… this aberration."

«Now you're growing a conscience? Your other attempts have failed you!»

Al could feel the Sin's frustration towards him. "This is human transmutation Envy! I just… I don't think—"

«Don't you fucking say it!»

The short-haired blonde knew that if Envy could, he would punch him in the face.

«WE don't want to die, remember?»

'We'… so it had come to mutual acceptance? A rueful smile encompassed his face.

«We have a symbiotic relationship born out of necessity. Your words, Al.»

"Yes they are." He muttered.

"Al, we're going to be late!" Nichole shouted dryly from the top of the stairs.

"Right." He shouted back while he grabbed his newest sin and put it under lock and key. He then walked towards a small mirror and made sure that his necktie was neatly positioned around his neck. He smiled at his image once he made sure his hair was also neatly in combed and in place because he wanted to look his best for the beautiful long-haired blonde that awaited him with a warm apple pie.

«Let's not keep her waiting any longer.»

"Yes… let's go." He walked up the stairs and turned the lights off.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Alphonse contemplated Nichole while she looked at the moving scenery from behind the rolled up window. Even in profile she looked stunning and he guessed he should feel lucky and count his blessings that they were together, even though it didn't feel like that as of late. It had been almost two months since the last time he had been intimate with her, not including the fiasco that happened a few nights before. His eyes trailed her entire figure. He wondered if the chemistry between them faded… no. Al shook his head. He knew that wasn't it… it was the the lies —his lies— that have been creating a wedge between them. He would have confided to her about his terminal illness if it wasn't for the fact that she didn't handle well the day he had a seizure in front of her. She was not like Winry who had the strength to deal with the toughest of situations…

«What did you expect? Nikki is just a trophy girlfriend— a fuck toy. You're lucky she knows how to cook.»

Alphonse became pensive. What that all there was to her? To them? No. He loved her but how much was the question.

«C'mon Al. We both know you just kept her around because you think of the other blonde every time you pound her into the mattress.»

"Most you be so blunt?" He hissed, feeling a bit upset with the Sin's jarring words.

"Did you say something?"

"No, Nichole." He answered and the blonde turned her head again to look outside the taxi car's window.

**oo-OOO-oo**

"Happy birthday little bro!" Ed cried out followed by a bear hug once he opened the front door to his apartment. The elder Elric broke the brotherly embrace when he decided to take a look at his brother. "My look at you! Twenty-one…" He was gleaming and Alphonse was blushing.

"Happy birthday, Alphonse." Winry said when she stood beside Edward.

"Thanks…" Alphonse replied wide-eyed as he took in Winry's sight. She looked even more beautiful than he remembered. Her long hair had been trimmed to just below the shoulders and long bangs now framed her face, complimenting her strong jaw. The aquamarine dress she wore just enhanced her sapphire eyes the same way his hunter green vest and olive striped necktie complimented his.

"Alphonse…" Nichole said while she pinched his arm, asking him with her eyes to be properly introduced to the couple.

"Oh! Where's my manners! Winry this is Nichole, Nichole this is Winry, my childhood friend and my sister-in-law."

Nichole quickly noticed Al's body language towards the long-haired blonde and it made her frown ever so slightly. She quickly masked her discontent behind her well developed fake smile. "Finally I get to meet Al's famous sister-in-law." She punctuated the last words intentionally while she took a quick glance at her lover. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Winry." She added while she gracefully observed Winry from top to bottom. She turned her gaze to Edward. "Lieutenant Colonel, you have a gorgeous wife."

Ed blushed. "I'm off duty so please call me Edward, and yeah… I'm a pretty lucky guy to have her by my side." He added with a wide goofy grin plastered across his face.

"Brother, are you going to let us in?" Al asked, cutting in, while trying not to sound annoyed about Edward unintentionally rubbing to his face of Winry's marital status.

"Please come in." Winry moved away and Ed walked them to the living room. "Make yourselves comfortable."

Al and Nikki sat on the couch while Ed sat on the recliner.

"I'll bring us some tea." Winry said as she headed for the kitchen.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Winry took off the lid and looked inside the casserole to check on the chicken and mushroom fricassee that was slow cooking on the stove top. Once she verified that the fricassee wasn't burning she put the lid back on the pot and took from the top shelf her late grandmother's tea set. She poured in some earl grey on the fine china tea pot and finished the setup by placing the tea cups, milk and sugar cubes on the tray.

"Let me help you." Al said as he entered the kitchen.

Winry became startled by the sudden intrusion. "Don't worry Al." The mechanic answered as calmly as she could because she was feeling quite uncomfortable being alone in the same room with Alphonse.

"I insist, Winry." Al added as he took the tea set away from her hands.

Winry gazed at the taller blonde and blushed slightly. Such feeling took her by surprise and she felt quite uncomfortable by it. The mechanic stepped aside and made up an excuse that she needed to check on her apple pie to make sure it was not burning. She saw Al smile sweetly at her before turning around and heading for the living room. Winry glanced back at the short-haired blonde wondering if the blonde had dressed up so stunningly for her.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Nichole closed the bathroom door with more force than necessary. She was angry. The blonde took a deep breath and walked towards the bathroom mirror where she posed her eyes on her reflected image. She took her time to take in her natural beauty: the brightness of her skin, mesmerizing blue eyes, her luscious lips— She frowned. "I'm more beautiful than she could ever be." Nikki said to her reflection. She closed her eyes and snorted. Just minutes before she had walked on Al and Winry talking in the kitchen. Al had offered to help Winry with serving the tea so she took the opportunity and ask Ed for the restroom so she could spy on them. Nichole was about to continue for the bathroom if it wasn't for the way that Alphonse was staring at the long-haired blonde.

She opened her eyes again and scowled at her reflection. "Another dirty little secret, Al?" She scoffed. "You like her don't you?" Nikki sneered when she realized she was jealous. "Love doesn't pay the bills or doesn't buy you nice gifts." She reminded herself as she turned her attention to the gold bracelet. Suddenly a thought came to her mind. Al had looked at Winry the same way that he looked at her when they were intimate. Could it be— "That bastard!" Her face contorted with ire. "Nobody plays with me!" She gritted her teeth momentarily before a derisive smile marred her beautiful face.

Nikki took a carmine red lipstick from her purse and twisted the stick until the product was out. She reapplied a new layer of lipstick on her plump lips then pressed them together, making sure that the coverage was even. She twisted the stick back and dropped it on the purse. Nichole looked at her image one more time. She had lifted her chin high then displayed a wide, confident smile. "I'm better than you at playing that type of game, baby." She muttered darkly to her reflection before heading back into the living room.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Alphonse took in the first bite of the chicken and mushroom fricassee. He chewed slowly and with gusto. "Mm… Ed this is really good! You are definitely improving."

Edward grinned from ear to ear. "I know it's not good as yours but I'm getting there."

"My Edward this is exquisite!" Nichole added with a sugary smile. "If you keep at it I'm sure you will be able to surpass Al."

The short-haired blonde sent Nichole a nasty look while Winry wondered what was going on between the couple.

After that dinner was tense and silent. Winry was the first to get up. "Excuse me I'll bring dessert now."

"I'll help, Win." Edward said as he got up.

Al waited until Ed and Winry were out of sight to address Nichole. "What the hell was that about?" He asked curtly.

"Whatever do you mean, Al?" She replied with nonchalance.

"I know that smile, Nichole. You were flirting with Ed! Admit it!"

Nikki who was finishing her last bite of chicken laid the utensil on top of the plate before answering Al's accusations. "Baby, if I was flirting I would make sure to make it more obvious."

"Hey birthday boy! Happy birthday!" Edward's voice was fast approaching so Al just glared at Nichole.

Edward came in with the warm apple pie in his hands while Winry walked behind him with the dessert plates. Alphonse noticed that the pie had a 'number 21' made out of candles. He remembered how he used to look with child-like anticipation his first celebrations after getting his human body back but this particular occasion just brought him misery and sorrow —still— he put on his brightest and happiest smile.

After everyone sang him happy birthday, Al contemplated the flickering flames on top of the apple pie.

"Make a wish, Al!" Ed said with enthusiasm.

The short-haired blonde looked at him and smiled. He then returned his gaze to the flickering candles.

«You have the tools, Al. You just need to make that wish come true.»

The hybrid array. Would he dare use it? He looked around and placed his gaze upon Winry…

«You won't be able to fight for her if you're dead.»

"You're right." He said out loud then proceeded to blow the candles out.

**oo-OOO-oo**

"Edward…" Nichole said while she was helping the elder Elric tidy up the dinner table. "I've never had the chance to thank you for helping me with Bruno."

Ed's face hardened. "I want to make this clear, I did it for Alphonse and not for you."

"I understand." She answered with a small smile. Nichole took a chance —while Ed was looking away— to deliberately and inconspicuously drop a glass on the floor. "Oh darn it!" She cussed while she dropped to her knees to pick up the broken pieces.

"Are you ok?"

"Ouch!" Nichole cried out as she looked at her now bloody hand.

Edward dropped what he was doing and knelt beside the blonde. "Let me see." He took her bloody hand into his while he inspected the severity of the wound.

Nichole had the elder Elric where she wanted him as her blue eyes locked on gold. She brought her other hand up and cusped the long-haired blonde's cheek. She moved forward cutting the distance between herself and the wide eyed blonde.

"NICHOLE!"

Alphonse yelled at the sight that was unfolding before his eyes. He had come out the kitchen to check what the commotion was about when he found his girlfriend almost about to kiss his older brother. "Edward, what the hell is going on?"

Ed pushed Nikki aside and stood up. "It's not what it looks like Al!" He looked at the girl with contempt. "She dropped a glass and cut herself when she tried to pick up the broken pieces."

The desperation in Ed's eyes confirmed to him that he was telling the truth.

"What is going on?" Asked Winry who had just arrived to the dining room area. "I could hear Al yelling all the way to the bathroom."

"So now it's obvious?" Al barked at Nichole.

Both Winry and Ed looked at the couple with utter confusion.

"That's right baby! I keep everything out in the open unlike you who just likes to—"

Alphonse grabbed Nichole by the arm and dragged her to the living room, away from Edward and Winry's eyes and ears. "What the hell is your problem!" Al yelled after he let go of the blonde.

"My problem? What about your problem?" The girl countered. "You're just a filthy liar, Al!"

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm taking about her." She pointed aggressively to the dinning room.

Al's eyes filled with dread. He quickly opened the front door and pushed Nichole outside the apartment. "Quit being such a bitch, Nichole!" He hissed harshly after closing the door behind him.

"A bitch?" She hissed back. "I might be a bitch but you're just a hypocrite and I'm tired of it! I'm tired of YOU!"

There was a moment of silence.

"It's over." Nichole said flatly. She re-entered the apartment to get her purse.

Speechless, Al kept staring at her as she walked down the hallway. Nichole suddenly stopped midway and spun around. "I wish you the best of luck Alphonse and I hope you can find some type of solace before, well, you know." Nikki pointed to her forehead and tapped with her purse the area where Al had the tumor. She then turned around and walked the rest of the way to the elevators.

«That fucking bitch!»

Alphonse froze in place. All this time… she knew about his illness and she didn't even fucking care. Suddenly he started feeling dizzy while his chest became tight. Al felt a sudden urge to hurl so he went back inside were Edward and Winry were waiting for him. He glanced at them and just wished to run past them but he felt himself quickly losing grasp of his surroundings as everything became black.

**oo-OOO-oo**

"Oh, you're awake." Winry muttered as she leaned close to Alphonse's face. She gently pulled back his right upper eye lid so she could have a better look at the dilation and contraction of his pupils.

"Winry…" He said in a raspy voice when the long-haired blonde was checking his left eye. Al snaked his hand around until he found hers.

"Al!" She said startled. The blonde tried to pull her hand away but Alphonse held it tight.

"You-you always been there for me…" He said with a broken voice as tears appeared at the corners of his eyes. "I've been such a fool…" He blinked the tears away.

"What are you talking about?" Her eyebrows knitted together.

"Winry I—" He wanted to say 'I'm dying' but he just couldn't. "I love you."

The blonde's eyes quickly saddened. Al's words just confirmed her suspicions about their early encounter in the kitchen —not only that— but it also confirmed to her that the physical resemblance between Nichole and herself hadn't just been a coincidence. She offered him a pitiful smile. "Al… You already know that I love Edward, your brother." She sighed. "I know you shouldn't be hearing this right now but you left me no choice on the matter." She pulled her hand free and stood up. Winry closed her eyes momentarily as she gathered courage to speak. "Alphonse, I can't love you the way you want me to." She took two steps before turning around to look at the broken man that rested on the bed. "I'm sorry for what happened with your girlfriend." She turned around and exited the guest room leaving the short-haired blonde to wallow in his misery.

**oo-OOO-oo**

"Al, can I come in?" Ed asked as he rasped on the door, but his younger brother didn't answer. The elder Elric waited a minute or so before opening the door to the guest room. He found his brother laying sideways with his back turned to the door. "Al, are you awake?" He asked as he could see Alphonse's chest rising and falling normally. He stepped closer when Al didn't respond and gently sat next to him on the bed. "Want to talk about it?"

"No." The short-haired blonde said flatly.

"I understand that you don't want to talk about Nichole, but the whole incident— You passed out again, Al." Ed pressed on. "Have you had a chance to see a neurologist?"

Alphonse turned around and his face showed anger. "Yes Ed, I've been to the doctor." He sat up next to his older brother and a deep scowl darkened his face while he glared at Ed.

"Oh… I didn't know." Ed looked surprised. "What did the doctor tell you?"

«That you fucking killed me.»

"That I've been suffering from epilepsy." Al answered with a half truth as his epileptic episodes were caused by the pressure of the tumor on his brain.

Edward's paled expression quickly turned to grief when he heard about his adored little brother's ailment. "I…" He was too stunned to speak. He could feel his throat getting thick as the urge to cry was becoming impossible to control. "Oh god…" He clenched his jaw and shut his eyes closed as loud sobs began wracking his body.

Alphonse's detachment from the current situation made him find Edward's suffering quite fascinating. He wanted to feel something other than the sick amusement that was quickly enveloping his mind, body and soul but his feelings turned cold when he heard his older brother speak out loud the words he had dreaded to confirm.

"It's all my fault. I felt that something was wrong when I brought you back. I'm so sorry Al." Ed hid his face behind his hands.

«Happy now?»

Al began shaking. First he finds that he's terminally ill, then he finds that his girlfriend never cared for him, then the object of his affection shuns him and now his brother —his fucking brother— finally admitted to royally screwing up his deal with the Truth? He could feel a maddening giggle bubbling inside of him, a giggle that stopped him from completely losing it in front of Ed… but the inner laughter that kept him pieced together quickly fizzled. For the first time in his life he began having deep contempt against his own kind and against the ones he loved. "It's alright." He whispered, trying to comfort himself.

"How can you say that?" Ed replied, thinking that the words were meant for him.

"What was done was done." Al droned. He got up and picked up his jacket that was hanging from a chair.

"Where are you going?" The long-haired blonde cried out, also standing up.

"Home." Alphonse replied while he put his jacket on.

"You've passed out earlier! Just stay until you're feeling better… please."

"I'm feeling fine, Ed." He made sure that the lapels on the jacket were neatly folded before reaching for the door.

"Al, we haven't finish talking." Ed said frantically as he pulled his younger brother by the arm.

The short-haired blonde looked behind his shoulder and gave Ed a cold look. "I don't want to talk right now." He stepped out of the room.

«Yeah let him seethe in guilt. Fucking Pipsqueak.»

"Alphonse!" Ed shrieked after his younger brother had walked down the hallway.

The younger Elric stopped. "What is it, Brother?"

"Do you hate me? At least answer this!"

Al turned around and was mildly shocked with Ed's distraught demeanor.

«Say it, Al. Say that you hate him.»

Alphonse opened his mouth to speak but the words died in his throat. He turned around and left the apartment as quickly as he could.

* * *

A/N: That's how things rolled. Nichole is a mega bitch and you decide if she was fair on her actions against Al. I will warn you again that the next and final chapter for part 1 is really fudged up and I do not condone what will happen in it. If you had enough of this story then just stop here and I'm honored that you read up to this point because if you think that you can't handle ch25 you will definitely won't handle part2 as the most depraved chapters will be there.

Um, read and review?

(1) The array that Al created is a mash up of platonic solids and sacred geometrical shapes (Metatron's cube, star tetrahedron aka Merkabah and Fruit of life). I won't go further than this if you want to know more just search around and you will find your answers. I only can say that it is a fascinating material.


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: So here it is, the last chapter of the first part for this crazy story. With chapter 25 I close the account of Alphonse Elric's downfall. Also with this chapter I set the pace for the events that will happen in part 2. Chapter 25 is vile to say the least so if you're a sensitive person then don't thread further than this.

I want to thank you all who had read and commented on this story.

**Jaclyn, thanks for the partial beta and for your contribution on this chapter. You're awesome and I hope that you feel all better soon!**

* * *

**WARNINGS:** **This chapter contains strong violence, strong language and sexual assault.** This is the M rated version for this chapter. The MA rated version is located at AO3 you can find the link in my profile. I do not condone the acts described here, this is just a fictional story and doesn't translate well in real life.

* * *

«Ugh! I can't believe you actually decided to go out and with HIM of all people.»

"He's my brother, Envy. He was worried about me." Alphonse sat by the bar waiting for Edward to fish some drinks from the busy bartender. He stared at the scenery around him. Ed had taken him to a cozy jazz club that he frequented with Winry in Midtown. He watched with mixed feelings the way the people socialize around him, all without a care in the world.

«Pointless human behavior. Disgusting.»

Disgusting… maybe.

The same night after the birthday dinner fiasco he had decided to lock himself in his brownstone. The next day he cancelled all appointments with his clientele until further notice then spent the days drowning his senses with good ol' vodka. Envy had hated him for it because the homunculus quickly found out that he also was feeling the effects of alcohol. At some point the Sin was trying to get him to come around his senses, persuading him with sweet words that he needed to man up and use the hybrid array. "You will feel better." Envy had said to him but quite frankly he was at a point in life that he just had it with humans. The short-haired blonde had given up on the pursuit of life and told the Sin that he was going to let death take him straight to hell.

For about three days the phone rang incessantly. Alphonse knew that it was Edward trying to get a hold of him, but he just couldn't muster the courage to pick up the receiver. Envy had almost succeeded in making him say the words that he have been slowly harboring deep inside of him since first time he confronted Ed about his insistence for seeing a doctor— and he was so close to saying them out loud but in the end he just couldn't do it. He would have regretted saying those vile words, because even though he was harboring ill feelings towards his older brother, the brotherly love he felt for Ed was still beating within him.

On the fourth day he heard someone —surely his older brother— pounding on the front door and after fifteen minutes of incessant pounding he decided to open the door. He expected to see a very angry Edward but what he saw standing in front of him was a heartbroken man. His older brother immediately hugged him and he could feel warm moisture starting to saturate his three-day-old used t-shirt. "You're a mess." Ed had told him with a forced chuckle once he took a better look at his haggard appearance. His brother had walked in and placed his blue military jacket on the coat rack then he took him by the hand and dragged him to the bathroom where he ordered him to take a shower and to shave. During all that time Edward didn't talk about Nichole nor he talked about his ailment, he just took care of him with the tenderness he hadn't received since their dear mother had passed away.

On the fifth and sixth day Edward came by with food that was made by Winry along with a big slice of apple pie— and he smiled. All his initial thoughts about putting the blasphemous array to use or letting himself die had been put on hold as he was finding new hope in life. He had debated with Envy that he was going to find other ways of dealing with his condition and had even mentioned to the homunculus that he was going to reveal to Ed of his existence within him.

On the seventh day Edward had dragged him out of the house and now he was at the bar waiting for an ice cold beer.

"Here you go." Edward handed him his drink with a loving smile.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Al stepped out of the bathroom at the club and decided to finally check the place out as he was feeling better and more confident after having a few beers in his system. He entered the dance hall of the club. It was packed with people dancing to the newest tunes on the radio that were being played by some local band he had seen in small festivities around SoCe. He was about to turn around and return to the bar to join his brother when he heard laughter coming from a familiar voice. He scanned the room until he saw Nichole twirling around the arms of an older man. His stomach dropped when he saw her caressing the old fart's face.

«One week—»

"Shut up!" Alphonse hissed. He felt his blood boiling rapidly. How dare she make a mockery out of him? Al clenched and unclenched his hands but his rage was just too much to be held back.

«Now is not the time, Al.»

"—and why the hell not?" He growled.

«Dear Brother is here with you, remember?»

"I don't give a shit, Envy!" He shot back.

«Just get rid of him first then you can deal with that back-stabbing, conniving whore and her fatso in any way you want.»

**oo-OOO-oo**

"Let's go, Ed." Al said dryly once he got back from the dance hall.

"Is something wrong?" Ed asked, slightly alarmed.

"I'm not feeling well, that's all."

The long-haired blonde became tense. He didn't want his baby brother suffering anymore trauma, least in a public area. "Ok, Al but we're taking a taxi to your place."

Alphonse agreed. The sooner they left, the sooner he would be able to ditch his brother and return to the club to get some answers.

**oo-OOO-oo**

«Ugh! That Pipsqueak can be so clingy!»

"What did you expect? Brother is feeling a lot of guilt for failing me." He muttered as he walked through the crowd.

«—and rightly so!»

Alphonse stopped in his tracks and hid behind a column.

«The bitch is still here… well, at least she's still with the same guy.»

The short-haired blonde's brow furrowed deep as he watched his ex sitting on the older man's lap. She was feeding him some strawberries that accompanied their champagne.

«The man looks like he can be her father.»

Envy's comment made him bitterly grit his teeth.

Suddenly Nichole and the man stood up and where heading for the exit, so he followed them. Al watched how the man called for one of the valet boys while Nichole clung to his arm. After a few minutes passed the valet boy brought over the older man's car— a black luxury car that looked brand new.

«My, my! So she's a gold digger!»

Sadly Al agreed and wondered why the girl entered in a relationship with him in the first place.

«Better get a move on.»

The blonde rushed outside the club and to the taxi line and quickly jumped inside a car. He ordered the taxi driver to follow the luxury car in front of them.

«So what are you planning to do, Alphonse?»

"I don't know yet." He mumbled.

**oo-OOO-oo**

During the long ride from Midtown to the more humble parts of South of Central, Alphonse had come to the painful realization that Nichole had been using him since the first day she walked into his life.

«—and don't forget all those outings with 'friends'.»

The short-haired blonde's face scrunched up. He had seen Nichole strutting around his house, dangling a golden bracelet that he hadn't bought for her.

«Most likely 'piggy' bought it for her.»

Al closed his eyes and concentrated on the Sin. He let his animosity towards the homunculus' stupid comments be known. Envy's cackle echoed within him but soon after the Sin let him know he understood his point and backed off.

"The car is stopping. What do you want me to do sir?" Asked the taxi driver with a tense voice.

"Just park here." Al motioned to an empty space by the side walk that was about fifty yards away from the mismatched couple. He paid the man the fare and gave him a few more bucks 'for his discretion on the matter' as he so charmingly put it.

The taxi driver left fast and Alphonse hid behind the other parked cars along the sidewalk, waiting for Nichole and the older man to get out of the car. The man got out first then went around his car and opened the door for Nikki to get out. Al noticed that the blonde was rather tipsy as she had a hard time walking up the steps to the building's entrance. He swiftly walked towards the building once the couple had entered the place. Al looked up at the worn brick facade and chided. "So she kept her old apartment after all." The younger Elric walked up the steps to the main entrance and alchemically unlocked the glass double doors. He went up the stairs to the fourth floor skipping two steps at a time and headed down the hall to apartment No. 415 where he'd been countless of times before asking the girl to move in with him. He stood in front of the door —frozen-still— while his heart drummed fast.

«What a cheap bastard. He couldn't even take her to a decent place.»

It was true, the man could have chosen a better place other than the this shit hole of apartment. "He probably wants to keep a low profile." Al admitted.

He kept staring at the door for the longest time like it was noxious. A loud thud came through the door just mere seconds before he had a chance to open the door with his alchemy. A very female moan followed. Alphonse stared wide-eyed at the rattling door while his insides lurched. He slowly lowered his hands and took two steps back before turning on his heel. He rushed down the hall, down the stairs and exited the building.

Once outside he bent over with his hands on his knees. He began panting loudly and swallowing the flood of saliva that rushed to his mouth. He had wanted to break in —and break one neck or two— but in the end he just couldn't do it. He couldn't muster the courage to bust in because he was still too shocked, too hurt and upset to make such move… but that initial shock was quickly fading and being replaced by scorn… and the scorn he felt for Nichole was running deep. Al sat on the steps by the entrance while his wounded ego —along with Envy— planned to exact his revenge against the deceitful blonde who dared use him so deviously.

An hour had passed by before Al heard the main doors of the building opening behind him. He had hidden his face behind the upturned lapels of his jacket and glanced to his right once he heard a person walking by. It was Nichole's new lover who had come out of the building. Al watched as the man walked past him —barely noticing his presence— and headed straight to his car in a rush. Not even looking at his surroundings, the man turned the car on and took off. The short-haired blonde stood up once he saw the car turn around the corner. He straightened his pants and got inside the building in the same fashion as on his first try.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Nichole was about to get into the shower when she heard a knock on the door. She figured that Gordon must have left something behind so she put back on the expensive blue satin robe he had just bought for her and strutted towards the front door. "Gordy-love, did you forget som—" She stopped mid sentence when she saw Al standing in front of the door wearing a shit-eating grin on his face.

"Gordy? My, you sure forget names easily. It's Al-baby, remember?" He pushed her away and got into the apartment, closing the door behind him rather loudly.

Nichole paled then frowned. "What are you doing here, Al?"

"I was walking around the neighborhood and decided to drop in— I mean you haven't been to my place to pick your stuff up." Al walked past her and plopped on the couch. He ogled at her. "That's a beautiful robe you have on." He clenched his jaw in anger when he got a glimpse of her cleavage reminding him of what she was doing in the past hour or so.

Nikki felt rather uncomfortable by his comment and absentmindedly brought her hands towards the top of the robe, hiding her cleavage from her ex's leering eyes. "It's past three a.m. Al. Just get out of here before I call the police!" She could almost taste fear in her words.

"Well I'm not going anywhere, dar-ling." Al stood up and walked towards her. "Not until we sort some things out." He grabbed her chin with force.

Nichole batted the hand away and walked away from the blonde who had strategically placed himself between her and the door. "What do you want?" She asked, deducing that she would get rid of Al fast if she played along.

"How did you find out about my illness?" He replied as his eyes narrowed.

"I don't know what you're talking ab—"

Alphonse shortened the distance between them and grabbed her by the neck. "I'm not fucking playing, Nichole!" He snorted as he squeezed her neck slowly.

The blonde had a look of disbelief as she desperately tried to pry her ex's fingers from around her neck. Alphonse was more than amused by her struggling and he let her go after a few seconds of toying with her. Nichole dropped to the ground and coughed. "ARE YOU INSANE?" She screeched after recuperating her breath. She scooted backwards when Al suddenly squatted in front of her, sporting a ferocious look on his feline-colored eyes.

"Just answer the question, Nikki, and everything will be alright." He grinned.

"You left the X-rays laying out on the living room floor." She was panting at this point.

"Oh, so you did come home early." His brows furrowed. "—and you walked out the door without making sure if I was alright?"

The blonde nodded quickly.

Al looked at her with disdain. "I was grieving after receiving such shocking news, Nichole… I would have loved for you to keep me from sinking into depression…" He gritted his teeth.

"I was with friends…" She whispered.

"Friends?" The short-haired blonde spat. "FRIENDS?" He quickly grabbed the wrist that sported the gold bracelet. "Like Gordy, your fuck friend?" He could feel himself losing control faster than he anticipated.

«Snap her treacherous little neck, Al.»

"Shut up, Envy…" He hissed while he cracked the bones of his neck, making Nichole feel even more scared.

"Al… just let it go."

"How long?" He shot at her.

"Al—"

"HOW FUCKING LONG?"

"I-I've been with Gordon since two months ago."

«The fucking whore. No wonder she didn't want to sleep with you anymore.»

Al closed his eyes as he absorbed her words. "You fucking whore…" He said as he glared at her. "Why? Why were you with me in the first place?"

Nichole scrambled to get up as fast as she could. She moved far away from the raving blonde and was frantically searching with her eyes for a way to escape from his grasp. "Because I needed you to fix my face."

The younger Elric started laughing. "Fix you? So you were repaying me with your cunt, was that it?"

Nikki scowled at the comment.

"Now that you bring that subject up…" He started walking towards her, stalking her like a predator does its prey. "…Bruno mentioned to me, before I jabbed him in the neck with some Quíjì, that your 'little story' about him trying to kill you was all a lie. Is that true?"

The blonde blanched. She didn't know what alarmed her most, if Bruno tattling on her or the fact that Al just confessed to causing bodily harm to another human being.

Alphonse noticed her distress and smiled at her wickedly. "Imagine what I could do to you if you don't… 'cooperate'."

The blonde lost it after hearing his threat as her self preservation instincts kicked in. She darted for the door but Al caught her by the hair. "Ah, na, na, nah!" He mocked. "Where are you running to, darling?"

Nichole desperately tried to get away from Al's grasp.

The short-haired blonde quickly over-powered Nichole and swung her lithe body with ease by the hand that kept her in place. "You know what I think, Nikki?" He jeered as he turned her around to face him. "I think that you THOUGHT you had ME played!" He was seeing red.

"HELP! Someone—" She began screaming and the younger Elric struck her face.

"Now let's get back to the subject of you cheating on me." Al was dragging a screaming Nichole to her bedroom. He kicked the door open and threw the blonde on the carpet floor. Al smiled contentedly when he saw pure fear screwed on her face.

«She shouldn't have crossed us in the first place.»

He looked around the room and found some velvet-padded handcuffs and a nine o' tails laying on top of the bed —and it made him more furious than before. "So your fat boy is into kinky stuff? No wonder he chose this cesspool of an apartment to engage in depraved acts with you."

Nichole was touching the side of her face that Al had struck. It felt hot to the touch and it stung. "You bastard… you have no right—"

"So you like pain?" He interjected as he picked up the flogger. A sadistic smile crossed his face while the blonde's eyes widened.

"You stay the hell away from me!" She screamed as she stood up. She turned around and was making her way to the door when she heard a loud clapping echoing in the room followed by a blue current that spanned across the entire area. She tried to open the door but it didn't budge. Nikki's breath hitched when she turned around and saw Alphonse beginning to stand up from a kneeling position.

"I can't let you go, darling. We still haven't finished our conversation."

The blonde began sobbing and shaking her head as she pressed her back to the wood door.

"You want to know a little secret?" He asked Nichole as his olive eyes engulfed her in dread. "Envy says I should kill you right here and now."

What the hell was he talking about? Nichole's pupils contracted. "You're crazy…" She murmured, remembering all those times she had heard Al talking to himself behind closed doors.

"Crazy?" Al laughed maddeningly. He shortened the distance between them and he pinned her between his arms.

"I told him that you need to know your place first." He spun Nichole around and cuffed her wrists to her back then he pushed her to the bed.

"NO!" She screamed while trying to turn over but the short-haired blonde had her pinned in place.

Alphonse lifted up the long robe. "So you didn't even have time to put some panties on." He jeered. "Tsk. Tsk. What a shame."

Nikki began thrashing around. "Stop it! Stop it Al!" She pleaded as tears cascaded down her cheeks.

"It's too late for that, dar-ling." Al grabbed the nine o' tails and quickly struck her exposed butt cheeks. Nichole's breath hitched in pain then began sobbing. He looked curiously at her reaction. "I thought you liked pain."

"I whipped him!" Nikki cried desperately. "I whipped him! He wanted me to whip him!"

"Oh!" He struck again, harder than before, leaving angry welts in its wake. "It's a darn shame…" He struck a second time, making her cry loudly.

"Ple-e-ease! HELP!"

"Nikki-baby, nobody can hear you. I made sure to sound-proof the room when I sealed it with my alchemy."

«This is so much fun! What are you going to do to her, besides killing the bitch?»

He flipped the flogger around so the handle was exposed. "I will make her regret to ever had played with me in the first place, Envy." Al took the handle and brushed it against her lower lips, making her squirm and curse at him in the process. Her insolence only made him laugh even more as he moved the brush upwards. He noticed that Nichole's breath hitched and her whole body tensed when he brushed the handle against her anus. Al smiled wickedly as he pressed the handle slightly against her puckered hole and she began thrashing again. "My, darling… you're so full of surprises."

Nichole looked over her shoulder as best as she could. "Alphonse, don't!"

He chuckled. "Now, Nikki, you don't really expect me to get my dick covered in some other guy's cum now do you?" Her eyes widened with fright after hearing his words and Al's grin turned even more vicious. With that sentiment hanging in the air, he heedlessly plunged the handle into her fear tightened sphincter laughing in unison with her cries of pain.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Al went into the restroom to get himself cleaned, leaving Nichole stranded on the bed with her hands still cuffed behind her back. When he returned to the room he found that she was still unresponsive, most likely too traumatized by what he just did to her. Too fucking bad. He grabbed his pants from the floor, which he had discarded before forcefully penetrating the blonde, and put them back on. It was then that he truly contemplated the damage he had done to her and he pressed his lips flatly.

«She asked for it. She deserved it.»

Al touched her head almost as if he was petting her.

Nichole moved after feeling Al's hand on her hair and immediately tried to get away from the abrasive touch. "No more…" She pleaded in a weak and raspy voice. "Please let me go…"

It was too late. The deed was done and there was no turning back. He sat next to her and kept stroking her hair while a sympathetic smile gently appeared on his face. "Why did it have to come to this, Nichole?" He leaned over and kissed her in the forehead making the blonde cry once again. "I did love you, Nichole. I just wanted you to know that… but you had to cross me." He got up from the bed and took a piece of chalk from one of the pockets in his pants. He knelt on the carpet, next to the bed and started drawing the hybrid array. Envy was ecstatic. He took from an inside pocket in his jacket —which he had also discarded at some point during the assault— a small knife carrying case where he placed his kunai and unrolled it on the bed, right next to Nichole.

"Oh god… no-no-NO! Don't kill me! I don't want to die!" Nikki screeched as she tried to squirm away from the knives. Suddenly she curled in from pain as her rectum was too sore from the abuse it just received. She began whimpering while bumping her head against the bed in an erratic act of desperation.

Alphonse picked her up and placed her on top of the array with her chest being closely aligned to the center point of the circle. He grabbed the kunai and lodged one on each of the six outer points in the array and when he finished he stood by her feet, taking in the image of the frightened woman that wept below.

"I'm sorry-I'm sorry!" Nichole chanted, still pleading for her life.

The short-haired blonde smirked at her for the last time then he clapped his hands together. He knelt down and activated the array… an ear-piercing shriek soon followed. Nichole's body arched upwards at an almost impossible angle. She began gasping for air while her eyes became blood shut. After a few seconds of agonizing pain the light in her eyes faded and her body slumped back to carpet underneath.

Al was horrified with what he just witnessed. He hadn't expected such a volatile transmutation to occur. It suddenly reminded him about the rebound transmutation of his dead mother and for a moment there he swore to have seen the hellish black arms coming out of the hybrid array. He fell on his butt as he grabbed a hold of his self. After a few minutes had passed —and when he made sure that Truth wasn't out to claim him for a second time— he rocked his body forward and knelt next to Nichole's body. He prodded it with his index finger but the body didn't react. Nichole Swan was dead.

«About time!»

Al didn't know what to feel at that moment.

«It's done, Al! You can't undo all that's happened. Just keep moving forward.»

"Don't you go throwing Brother's words around at this moment!" He snarled.

«Fine-fine. Just find the soul before it disconnects from its host.»

Al decided to cast away any remaining doubts about the atrocity he just committed. He looked at her body again. "What do I do?"

«Trace down the lingering energy.»

"Ok." Al closed his eyes and concentrated on finding Nichole's rapidly fading chi. He localized it at the heart chakra. "Now what?"

«I don't know… inhale it or something.»

"I thought you were the expert here!"

«I don't know how to work a fucking human body, darling!»

"Fine!" Al hovered his hands around the inert figure and concentrated his thoughts on basic chi grounding techniques, thinking that those could work. Once he got his body synchronized, he clapped his hands together and placed them on the target point. A surge of energy coursed through his hands and shot fast throughout his body. Al immediately felt his throat constrict as the energy savagely suffocated his body. "Envy!" He gasped while he was being inundated with a barrage of laments, wails and curses that echoed inside his head. He soon realized it was Nichole's essence that was torturing his body, mind and soul. "Stop it!" He tried to shout while he uselessly covered his ears to block out the noise. "I don't want this!" Al's body abruptly arched backwards as the energy surge now painfully ebbed and flowed within him. A silent scream escaped his mouth as his body was about to give out from the searing pain it was experiencing when it all suddenly stopped. He fell forward, hitting the carpeted floor hard. Immediately he began gasping for air while at the same time his wild, disoriented eyes tried to refocus. After a few minutes passed by Al felt the surge of energy come back but the energy's signature had changed. It now was so pure that it was intoxicating. He rolled over to be on his back. Now his body began to tingle all over to the point that he could even feel it happening at a cellular level. The energy was so rich and invigorating that he began laughing in ecstasy.

«Feels amazing, doesn't it Al?»

It felt heavenly. The pain, the wailing, Nichole's voice it was all gone. He felt so light, so well… so refreshed. "What did you do?" Al asked as he entered into an euphoric state.

«I just subdued the soul and put it to work.»

"This… this is amazing!" Al stood up and sat on Nichole's bed. "This is perfection!" He said as he ran his hands through his hair making the hairs on his head stand on end. The short-haired blonde walked up to the vanity to take a good look of his body. "A perfect body…" He chortled once he saw his elated image on the mirror.

«A perfect soul.»

Alphonse now moved in front the bedroom window to observe the rising sun. "No more crying, no more weakness…" He said to the sun as the warm rays touched his body.

«…no more suffering.»

A shit-eating grin spread across Alphonse's handsome face as he acknowledged Envy's words knowing very well that his life —their lives— began anew on that fateful day.

* * *

A/N: There you have it, the chronicle of the fallen. From this point on the story (part 2) will be perverse and fall more into the crime drama genre. I will work on Insidious: Mad Love (as I'm calling part 2) sometime during late Summer or Fall 2013. In the meantime be on the lookout for _Convergence_ which I will work on starting late July/early August 2013. It's a EdWin story centered after the events of COS. It's a complete opposite of what I've been writing as of late. The prologue (teaser chapter) has been out for a while and you can find it on my profile. I encourage you to take a look!

Thank you again you brave readers that stuck with this portion of this horror story. I hope you stick around for part 2 of Insidious.

Please R&R and let me know your thoughts are on this chapter. Just letting you know it was beyond hard to write this chapter (story) since it's content runs on the opposite direction to what my beliefs and morals are as a person. It was a real challenge and I'm proud to have tackled that monster head on. Now I'll get ready for my cross-country adventure.

Ciao mon amis! Have a wonderful summer!


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